The advent and growth of CTV is enabling traditionally underserved communities to have a voice and a media presence that would have been impossible just a few years ago. My guest, Damian Pelliccione, is CEO and Co-Founder of Revry, an enterprise describing itself as “the LGBTQ-first streaming network with the latest in queer movies, series and music, available anytime and anywhere.”
Damian recounts Revry’s origin story, notes that the network has grown to 5 million monthly active viewers in over 140 countries, primarily consuming content on connected television platforms, and credits this growth to forging partnerships with TV manufacturers and conducting direct sales to big brands for scalable growth in LGBTQ content distribution.
Damian and I discuss the role of branded content and sponsorships in Revry’s current programming, which relies on non-scripted content, such as reality TV shows and sports programs, where brands can easily integrate themselves into the content at different levels. Damian recounts the network’s experience working with Nike and Lexus on an awards show, highlighting the success of the event and the engagement of the audience.
We chat about the particular strengths of free ad-supported streaming TV, which does not allow viewers to skip advertisements, and the purchasing power of the LGBTQ+ community, which has a disposable income of $1.7 trillion in the U.S. Then we tackle the issue of brand safety, which rose to the forefront in 2023 due to the Bud Lite controversy, and dive into how Revry is handling these concerns on its network.
We touch upon Revry’s marketing strategy, which involves a mix of leveraging relationships with editorial teams in CTV environments such as Samsung and Vizio while incorporating a paid component.
Damian has high hopes for the future of the network, which has doubled its revenue for four consecutive years, and plans are in the works for a major announcement concerning Revry at the CES show, which will happen early next year in Las Vegas.
