The Next Wave of Streaming: Precision, Partnerships, and Personalization

Discussion with Adam Davies

With a career spanning more than two decades across media, technology, and marketing, Adam Davies brings a rare 360-degree perspective to today’s complex streaming ecosystem. From building targeted ad platforms to shaping cross-channel strategies at Cisco and Synamedia, Davies now leads Garreg Media and Marketing—an advisory firm helping content providers, technology vendors, and advertisers adapt to digital-first consumer behavior. In this article, we dive into the state of streaming with Davies, covering the industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities: content saturation, retention fatigue, monetization models, creative formats, data-driven engagement, and platform partnerships.

The Battle for Attention: Making Your Platform Stand Out

The sheer volume of streaming content today has flipped convenience into confusion. What was once a breakthrough—letting viewers watch anything, anytime—has now led to a disjointed experience where finding content feels harder than ever. “Consumers can watch what they want, how and where they want—but they don’t know where anything actually is”, Davies explains. Basically, content is everywhere—but that abundance has fueled fragmentation, scattered licensing, and what many call ‘subscription fatigue.’

Marquee content—flagship titles like Game of Thrones or Super Bowl exclusives—can grab attention, but often only temporarily. “It’s a gift that gives once”, Davies warns. “If your platform has nothing else to offer once that buzz fades, users churn”. 

The real differentiator lies in surfacing underutilized assets like recent hits or classic catalogs—content that still holds value but gets buried beneath the push for what’s new. This is where the concept of "FELT"—the Fat End Long Tail—becomes key.

Another key shift is in the audience itself. Older demographics are increasingly entering the streaming space as smart TV adoption grows, while Gen Z demands fast, social-ready content and discovery-first experiences. Marketers must design messaging and UI/UX experiences tailored to both. “Traditional broadcasters are now promoting content on TikTok and partnering with YouTube”, Davies notes. “They’re finally going where the viewers already are”.

Loyalty in the Age of Churn: Rethinking Retention Strategies

Retention has surpassed acquisition as the streaming industry’s North Star metric. Why? Because customer acquisition costs are soaring, and the fight to keep viewers from churning has intensified. “It’s no longer about getting them, it’s about keeping them”.

Content discovery and personalization sit at the heart of retention. Services that fail to show viewers what’s available or relevant risk being forgotten. “People join to watch one big release, but they stay for everything else you remind them you have”, Davies explains. That includes nostalgia-driven content rediscovered by younger generations—a phenomenon he dubs “newstalgia.” Shows like Friends and The Office continue to perform because platforms know how to repackage them for new eyes.

Pricing flexibility and seasonal engagement strategies are also gaining traction. Davies offers a sports analogy: “If your team gets knocked out early, why pay for the rest of the season? Let me pause, not cancel”. Platforms offering features like subscription pauses reduce full churn and lower reacquisition costs. Ad-supported models and tiered pricing give users more control—and foster goodwill.

Monetization Reimagined: How Streaming Advertising is Evolving

Advertising was once the antithesis of streaming. Now, it’s become essential. “Even Netflix said it would never run ads”, Davies recalls. “But eventually the rlented – the economics of streaming means they dint have much choice”. As subscription fatigue grows, ad-supported models like FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) and AVOD (Ad-Supported Video On Demand) are taking center stage.

What sets today’s model apart is precision. Tools like YouTube TV and programmatic ad buying allow for highly specific targeting—by geography, device, even behavior. “It’s not about flooding screens with ads and hoping something lands, it’s about making sure the right message reaches the right person—someone who’s genuinely interested”.

Yet many platforms still struggle with execution. Davies shares a personal example: “I won’t name the service, but I was watching one recently and saw three ads. The third, which was my favorite, was for a car—and at the bottom of the ad, it said, ‘This car is not available in the UK.’ So they paid to advertise a car to me that I can’t even buy”.

That kind of misfire reveals a deeper problem. Many streamers still approach advertising with a broadcast-era mindset—ignoring the expectations of today’s data-savvy brands. Local businesses, e-commerce companies, and digital-first advertisers want more than just reach. They want control, speed, and insights they can act on.

To meet those demands, streamers need to rethink their tech stack. That means building intuitive, self-serve dashboards; supporting granular targeting; and providing real-time performance metrics. “It should be as easy to launch a campaign on a streaming platform as it is on Instagram”, Davies says. 

Make Ads Creative, Not Intrusive

The problem with ads isn’t that they exist—it’s that so many feel out of place. “People will sit through an ad if it feels relevant”, Davies explains. “What they won’t do is stick around for something clunky or off-target”. In a world where audiences expect personalization everywhere—from their newsfeeds to their playlists—irrelevant ads feel jarring.

To solve this, platforms are experimenting with more adaptive, viewer-sensitive formats. One example is dynamic product placement, which allows a single scene to carry multiple ad identities depending on the viewer. “It’s one shoot, with infinite versions”, Davies says. A generic soda can, for instance, might appear as Coke in the U.S., Pepsi in France, or sparkling water in regions with stricter ad regulations.

Additional features like pause-screen ads, scannable QR code prompts, and in-guide banners add another layer of engagement. They offer value both to brands—by encouraging interaction—and to audiences, by presenting ads at logical, non-disruptive points in the viewing experience. And then there’s bundling, which is fast becoming a growth lever again. “Vodafone gave away Atmos soundbars with their streaming service. That’s not just hardware—it’s a gateway to engagement”, Davies notes. 

Ultimately, these strategies signal a broader shift: streaming is no longer just about the content on screen—it’s about the entire experience around it.

 The Rise of Marketing Tech in Streaming

AI has become the quiet engine behind many of today’s most effective campaigns. “Data’s not just about knowing who signed up”, Davies says. “It’s about knowing why—and what’s going to keep them”.

Marketing technology is evolving to match that complexity. AI-powered CRMs now deliver real-time, predictive analytics that go far beyond traditional dashboards. Platforms can spot early signs of disengagement—like when a user finishes a marquee show and doesn’t return—and trigger timely outreach. That might be a reminder email, a personalized recommendation, or a limited-time discount. The goal is proactive intervention, not passive measurement.

But the real breakthrough is how these systems turn behavior into strategy. By tracking not just what users click, but what they revisit and engage with over time, streamers can fine-tune messaging, content promotion, and even pricing structures.

Davies is clear: the opportunity isn’t just about better tools—it’s about asking better questions. “The real challenge is knowing what to do with the data”, he says. For marketers, this means shifting from static reporting to dynamic decision-making. Strategy today isn’t driven by gut feeling—it’s shaped by patterns, probability, and machine-assisted precision.

The Future of Collaboration in Streaming

Despite fierce competition in the streaming space, Davies sees real momentum in collaboration. He points to DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel in Australia—a rare case of a sports rights holder owning a broadcaster—as a signal that industry roles are shifting. Netflix’s partnership with the NFL to stream holiday games is another example of platforms thinking well beyond their original formats. As traditional boundaries blur between media, telecom, and entertainment ecosystems, strategic partnerships are emerging as one of the few ways to truly scale. 

What’s fueling this movement? In a word: data. Platforms are starting to share performance metrics, ad returns, and audience insights with both brand and distribution partners. These exchanges lead to better decisions, smarter ad spend, and stronger campaign outcomes. In the UK, initiatives like Lantern are already pushing this model—allowing streamers and broadcasters to pool data for clearer, more actionable advertising results.

Looking ahead, Davies highlights the potential for cross-ecosystem AI—technology that bridges content and behavior across services. “Why should my podcast listening on Spotify not influence what I’m recommended on Netflix?” he asks. It’s a vision of a more connected media experience, where recommendations, ads, and user journeys span platforms seamlessly.

Three Key Takeaways for Streaming Leaders

1. Stay Nimble – Viewer habits, technology capabilities, and platform dynamics evolve quickly. Success depends on anticipating change rather than reacting to it. Build teams and systems that can pivot fast—because what works today might be obsolete by next quarter.
2. Lead with Useful Data – Data should drive strategy, but not all data is equal. Focus on metrics that speak to retention, engagement, and advertiser outcomes—not just flashy subscriber numbers. The goal isn’t to drown in dashboards—it’s to uncover what truly moves the needle.
3. Collaborate to Grow – In a saturated landscape, isolation is a risk. Strategic partnerships, shared data ecosystems, and multi-platform integrations are no longer optional—they're a competitive advantage. The services that open up intelligently will outperform those that remain closed off.

Or as Davies puts it: “We all used to share the same remote. That’s what people still want—less friction, more access. Give them that, and everything else follows”.

As streaming platforms navigate this next chapter, it’s clear that long-term growth won’t come from content alone. It will come from smarter infrastructure, better user understanding, and a willingness to build with—not just for—the audience.

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