Introducing iTAP - A gamified OTT experience
Leveraging Blockchain, Web3 and new economic models of ownership, earning & watching.
Hey Streamers 👋,
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^ The Women’s Premier League (WPL) captains pose with the trophy during the inauguration
The second edition of Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 began on the 23rd February at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, and the final match will be played on 17th March at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. The curtain raiser match in Bengaluru witnesses the repeat of last year's final as defending champions Mumbai Indians are set to take on the WPL 2023 runners-up Delhi Capitals. Live streaming of the Women’s Premier League 2024 matches will be on JioCinema. The WPL 2024 matches will be telecast live on Sports18 and Sports18 HD TV channels in India.
Today’s program:
What is iTAPverse, the new age OTT entertainment platform?
Diving into iTAP’s overall strategy?
My Views
And….Action!
What is iTAPverse, the new age OTT entertainment platform?
iTap is a new age OTT entertainment platform where Gaming, Esports, NFTs & Metaverse content are key engagement drivers. Their smartphone addicted audience of 13-to-30-year digital natives inspires them in creating innovative content; fast being reshaped by blockchain, Web3 and new economic models of ownership, earning & watching.
WATCH: Whether you watch On-the-Go or at Leisure, their wide range of creatively curated funny “short forwards” (interesting that they use a commonly used “whatsapp” share lingo for their content), engaging games & quizzes and unique 6-to-8-minute stories [“mobisodes”] are offered with classic Hindi movies & serials, documentaries, and popular international TV shows.
PLAY: iTap is a one-stop gaming arcade. The business seems to be building a games library that offers something for every mood. They started with esports tournaments and are now focused on P2E games, Metaverse concerts & events and immersive experiences.
EARN: The more the user engages with the content / app, the more the chance they have to earn iCoins. iCoin is their virtual coin awarded passively, on-the-fly into the user’s personal wallet. The user’s wallet counter increases every time the user plays games or quizzes, participates in esports, watches content or shops on the app. iCoins are easily redeemed for cash, premium content, shopping rewards, discount coupons, mobile top-ups & bill payments.
SHOP: Not just great deals, iTap offers products you need without the hassle of extensive searching or multiple site log-ins. Their carefully curated e-commerce store features a hand-picked selection of products & experiences. iTappers can soon purchase NFTs, digital fashion and other virtual artefacts for the Metaverse, with cash back optionality in iCoins.
CREATE: With tools like “3D Avatar” creation, iTap offers users the option to showcase their talent & presence in the Metaverse. Users can create NFTs & metaverse content, join live concerts, participate in events & fashion shows, or just hang out with friends at secret digital locations. iTap aims to be the new nexus in social media interaction and creation.
The subscription packages are Rs. 149 ($1.82) quarterly, Rs. 199 ($2.43) half yearly and Rs. 299 ($3.65) annually.
WATCH
On launching the app, there is a clear focus on messaging and content types which would appeal to the OTT’s target audience - 13 to 30 year old youth. Therefore it’s not a surprise to see original content with a title that will clearly be lapped up by the teenage audience in the country.
The focus is to offer incentives to either play games or watch titillating content. It is well noted that adult / erotic content works well in India, with the recent IPO filing of the king of soft porn in India, the Ullu app.
Overall the Android mobile application experience is smooth and except for the load times of some of the games (for example Top Trumps, a cricket card game), the video playback experience and load times are at par with the best OTT apps in the Indian streaming ecosystem.
Scrolling the home page throws up content rails of Web Series, Bollywood Flicks, iTAP Originals, Telugu / Tamil / Malayalam flicks, Short Films and World Hits dubbed in Hindi (unique), however it’s great to see banners advertising all types of games and quizzes.
First episodes of most content is available for free with an option to unlock specific pieces of content using your iCoin wallet balance, in addition to subscriptions.
Some of the more interesting content pieces available on the app include iTAPVERSE which has videos explaining the world of Web3, Metaverse, NFTs and more all in Hindi / Hinglish (Hindi with some English thrown in).
In addition, Kannada and Bhojpuri language content is also available to round up various regional language movies and series available on the platform to cater to a wide variety of users across India.
Under the Others tab, comedy, sports and fitness and dance videos round up an exhaustive content strategy.
PLAY
As you can imagine, the focus on the Gaming side is cricket, with a “Top Trumps” call out on the main navigation of the app.
Easy sign up, however with a few seconds of load time, Top Trumps offers simple and easy to use game play for any age group wherein you get a trump card of various cricketers displayed. The user selects either Appearances, Average, Catches, 100s OR 6s depending on which category is most likely to outscore the player card that comes up on clicking again - for example if on the Steve Smith card, I select Appearances (As I think this is my best chance to beat any other player) and the card that is drawn by the game is of Pathum Nissanka, then I win (155 v/s 49).
From inspiring Indian mythology / Gods’ linked games like Ram, The Yoddha to Krishna Jump, iTAP Games makes a strong case for including “gaming” as a mainstream category within OTT and streaming, especially as younger audiences (for example the audience that iTAP is going after between 13 - 30 years) look for instant gratification inter spread with content within the same app.
The hyper casual games on the app are powered by fast growing Indian startup and Asia’s largest HTML5 based gaming powerhouse Gamezop which offers a “gaming plug-in” within existing apps to increase user engagement, working on a advertising revenue share with the content partner.
EARN
At the beating heart of the iTAP is an engagement, social and gaming rewards engine which fuels viewership and user actions on the digital destination.
From receiving 1000 iCoins on sign up to various rewards associated with video viewing, trivia / casual game plays etc, iTAP has created a pyramid of coin rewards which can redeemed on the e-commerce store, watching content and so on.
My Views
iTAP represents a bold step into the future of the streaming industry where digital natives are constantly seeking immersive experiences across various forms of entertainment. The platform's convergence of original content, gaming, NFTs, and Web3 technology creates a holistic digital destination that resonates with the preferences of the younger audience demographic.
The strategy of incentivizing user engagement through rewards such as iCoins is ingenious, fostering a symbiotic relationship between content consumption, gaming, and e-commerce. This not only enhances user retention but also adds an element of gamification to the overall experience, making it more dynamic and interactive.
However, to further enhance user experience, iTAP could streamline its content and rewards structure to offer more personalized options. Simplifying the categorization of content and rewards would empower users to tailor their experience according to their preferences, thereby deepening engagement and satisfaction.
Moreover, exploring avenues like Free Ad Supported Streaming TV (FAST) could amplify iTAP's reach and engagement by curating various content into live channels. This would cater to users who prefer a lean-back viewing experience while still providing relevant and curated content.
Overall, iTAP emerges as a pioneering platform in the Indian streaming landscape, offering a unique value proposition to its target audience. With its innovative approach and commitment to evolving trends, iTAP has the potential to redefine the future of entertainment consumption in India.
That’s all for today folks. If you enjoyed this breakdown, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues.
The OTT content of the week is Poacher on Amazon Prime Video, which is inspired by real events including a case of ivory poaching in Kerala in 2015. Directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Richie Mehta and featuring Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in leading roles, Poacher is a spine-chilling crime thriller about a group of Indian Forest Service officers, NGO workers, police constables and good Samaritans who risk their lives trying to track down the biggest elephant ivory poachers in the history of India and bring them to justice.
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