Endemol Beyond USA, the digital content arm of Endemol Shine North America, has taken the wraps off GetBeyond.us — a new direct-to-consumer website consolidating its entertainment properties and talent, and is set to be the home of future exclusive content released from the studio.
At launch GetBeyond.us includes programing from lifestyle network Icon, creatively led by YouTube beauty maven Michelle Phan, and original content from talent including Pitbull, Jessica Sanchez, Drea de Matteo, Andy Milonakis and Brittany Furlan. The site soon will add content from Endemol Beyond USA’s forthcoming gaming and e-sports network Smasher and pop-culture net Looksy.
Endemol Beyond USA is syndicated or distributed across 20 platforms and partners, including YouTube — where its content generates some 1.8 billion views per month — as well as Roku, Vessel, TiVo, Dailymotion and Amazon Fire TV.
With the “owned-and-operated” Getbeyond.us hub, the company wants to establish a direct relationship with viewers, and build a new brand in the over-the-top space. “We’re building a direct-to-consumer brand as people make choices about where to go for their content,” said Adrian Sexton, interim president of Endemol Beyond USA.
Popular on Variety
Getbeyond.us will focus on ad-supported and branded content, while it will continue to operate standalone sites for networks, such as Icon.network. At some point, Endemol Beyond USA would consider launching a subscription VOD service, Sexton said.
Endemol Beyond USA developed GoBeyond.us with online-video consulting and managed services firm Piksel. Used Piksel’s cloud-based video platform, Endemol Beyond can deliver more content to more devices while retaining control of the content and gathering key viewing metrics, Sexton said. In addition, the Piksel platform will let Endemol Beyond USA deliver personalized content recommendations.
“With Piksel, we’re working on becoming a one-stop syndication engine,” Sexton said. The new platform will let Endemol optimize content for different platforms, such as pushing short-form video to Facebook or Twitter and longer-form episodes to Vimeo and others.
New York-based Piksel’s other clients include AT&T, BSkyB, Channel 4 and cable operator Liberty Global.
Endemol Shine Group launched Endemol Beyond USA in 2013. Sexton assumed the role of interim president with the departure last month of Will Keenan.
