From ‘Squid Game' to ‘Frankenstein,' Netflix takes brand promotion to a new level at Tudum
Vanessa Agabo-Davalos has spent hours watching the dystopian drama 'Squid Game' on Netflix. But nothing could prepare the 21-year-old college student for seeing one of the show's actors walk the red carpet a few feet in front of her.
She found herself starstruck in the presence of Kang Ae-sim, who portrays Geum-ja (Player 149) on the South Korean thriller. All the more so when they snapped a photo together.
'You forget everything. You forget how to talk — it's just like 'Wow, I saw you on TV,'' said Agabo-Davalos, who traveled an hour from the Inland Empire and can't wait to see the final season this month. 'I feel like it's a dream come true for the ones that really enjoyed these shows.'
She was among the more than 9,500 Netflix fans who gathered Saturday at the Kia Forum in Inglewood for Netflix's Tudum live event, an hours-long extravaganza meant to hype up audiences for upcoming series, movies and returning franchises.
People traveled from all over the world to celebrate their love for shows including 'Squid Game,' Addams Family series 'Wednesday' and sci-fi show 'Stranger Things.'
During Netflix's variety-show like program onstage at the famed venue, the company showed off how its computer animated version of Tony Tony Chopper, a toddler-sized reindeer-boy character in the live action pirate series 'One Piece,' would appear in the upcoming season.
Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro unveiled a new teaser trailer for his November Netflix movie, 'Frankenstein,' starring Oscar Isaac and Mia Goth, who both appeared onstage with the filmmaker. Fans also saw the first six minutes of the first episode of Season 2 of 'Wednesday,' which will be released in August.
The event, named after the sound that plays before a Netflix program begins ('tuh-dum'), was part of Netflix's ongoing effort to harness the enthusiasm its viewers have for its most popular programs and inspire them to keep streaming.
'It is about celebrating fans and giving something back to them,' Netflix's Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee told The Times after the event. 'Of course it is also about promoting ... we have a huge slate coming up.'
Netflix hosted the first Tudum event in 2020 in São Paulo, which came from the company's Brazil team, which had an idea for an event that rewarded the streamer's fans of young adult shows. That later led to Tudum evolving into different formats including festivals and livestreams, events that were more like a fan convention.
In 2023, Netflix held Tudum again in São Paulo, drawing more than 35,000 attendees and more than 78 million views through Netflix's social channels.
But Saturday's festivities in Inglewood took Netflix brand promotion to a new level.
It was the first time Tudum was livestreamed directly on Netflix, rather than on YouTube or social media outlets. The event played like a roughly two-hour live variety show, featuring 'ask me anything' segments, as well as performances from music artists including Lady Gaga, who appears in the next season of 'Wednesday.'
There was plenty of cross promotion of Netflix content during the show, as WWE wrestlers talked about why people should tune into their weekly live show on the platform, while also speaking about their love for 'One Piece,' based on manga.
Tudum host Sofia Carson touted her upcoming Netflix movie, 'My Oxford Year,' which also stars Corey Mylchreest, known for portraying King George III in Georgian era romance series 'Queen Charlotte' from the 'Bridgerton' universe. Sesame Street's Cookie Monster also made an appearance with actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who star in the new Netflix movie 'The RIP.'
'I don't think another studio can pull this off in the way that we did,' Lee said. 'Fandoms can be unique and distinct. They're putting all those fans in a room together, WWE fans next to [mystery movie] 'Knives Out' fans next to Lady Gaga fans for 'Wednesday.' That's an incredible achievement. That is something only Netflix can do.'
To some people, Tudum is a page borrowed from Walt Disney Co., which hosts the biennial D23 fan convention in Anaheim, pulling together disparate fandoms (Disney princesses, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars) to converge in the same place. It raises the question: Does Netflix, a streaming service that produces shows from just about every genre for just about every kind of audience, have fans in the same way that Disney does?
Over the years, Netflix has expanded its live events and in-person experiences to keep viewers engaged. Those have included 'Bridgerton' balls, Netflix-themed eateries and retail stores selling merch based on 'Stranger Things' and other shows.
Lee declined to say how much Netflix spent on the event. Some fans bought tickets, ranging from $25 to $75, while others said they scored free tickets. Netflix said tickets sold out in about a week.
Netflix doesn't have iconic animated characters like Mickey Mouse or storied franchises like 'Star Wars' or Marvel. But Netflix's strategy is to have something for everyone, and because of that, people are reluctant to quit it, industry observers say, even as economic anxieties run rampant.
'That is the competitive advantage of Netflix,' said Larry Vincent, a marketing professor at USC Marshall School of Business. 'It really has become the big tent of streaming. They've invested pretty significantly to develop a stockpile of content.'
The streamer said last year it had more than 301 million subscribers globally. On Saturday, the attendees reflected that expansive audience.
Fans dressed up as their favorite characters from Netflix shows. People wore black dresses similar to Wednesday's attire, straw hats in support of 'One Piece' and green tracksuits like the ones players wear in the deadly 'Squid Game.'
When Cookie Monster appeared behind a DJ booth on the 'N' shaped red carpet to sing ''C' is for Cookie,' adults in 'Squid Game' tracksuits joined in the chorus.
'It's all-encompassing and global and passionate,' Tudum host Carson, known for starring in Netflix movies including 'Carry-On' and 'Purple Hearts,' said in an interview after the event ended. 'It is truly extraordinary to feel the love from every single part of the world — it crosses languages, it crosses cultures.'
Shaheidi Jimenez, 21, came to the Netflix event as a fan of 'Wednesday' and 'Squid Game.' She hadn't watched 'Stranger Things,' but seeing the screaming fans for the show's actors on the red carpet made her more curious about the sci-fi series.
'When I see the cast, it makes me want to watch it now,' Jimenez said. 'I'm familiar with them more. It makes me want to watch the show and probably get into it.'
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