STARZPLAY has been named as the region’s leading SVOD platform in terms of subscriptions for the second consecutive year, according to the IHS Markit Pay TV & Online Video Report – MENA – 2019. STARZPLAY – the UAE’s homegrown digital start-up in the SVOD space – has successfully retained its leadership position with 29 percent market share in terms of subscriptions.

On the revenue front as well, STARZPLAY is joint market leader with 32 percent market share, a combination of exclusive content and the company’s ability to secure deals from telecom operators and device manufacturers regionally has enabled it to grow in the region. The report outlines consumer promotions delivered by STARZPLAY, which helped attract new customers and retain market share.

Offers and partnerships combined with choice of methods of payments and free trial periods, according to the report, enabled STARZPLAY to continue to attract new subscribers. Maaz Sheikh, CEO and Co-Founder at STARZPLAY, said: “Our performance underlines the success of our strategy which has been threefold with a focus on content, the user experience and range of convenient payment options that are tailored to local market needs.  It’s been a remarkable journey since our inception five years ago, and we look forward to continuing to drive value in 2019 and beyond as we link up with regional telecoms operators and brands in the entertainment space to help us remain one step ahead. As we continue to expand geographically, Saudi Arabia will undoubtedly remain a major focus as the largest market in terms of subscription and revenue growth potential. Moving forward we will continue to focus on acquiring locally relevant and popular TV shows and movies.”

STARZPLAY’s ability to target a broad range of customers across the region with its flexible payment options is analysed in the IHS Markit report. In MENA, where bank card penetration remains low, the ability to pay through local mobile plans as well as offering free trials enables customers to experience OTT offerings without commitment nor restrictions.

The IHS Markit report concludes with a detailed case study on OTT strategies and references STARZPLAY’s numerous and diverse deals it holds across the markets in which it operates, with partnerships struck with leading operators including STC and Etisalat.