Netflix Fuels Egyptian Viewers’ Hunger for Entertainment

63

Cairo, Egypt – November 27, 2017 – After almost two years of streaming in Egypt, the world’s leading internet entertainment service is celebrating local fans’ enormous appetite for ‘Netflixing’ and ‘binge watching’. Fans such as the one Egyptian viewer that watched Kung Fu Panda 2 a total of 162 times in 2017!

 

Looking back to January 2016, Netflix went live almost two years ago in Egypt as part of a 130 country strong international roll out. Currently available in 190 countries, the service has continued to expand since 2016 to become the first truly global network to ultimately change the way entertainment is enjoyed. Over the years, Netflix has continued to amass an avid fan base of Egyptian viewers with the great variety of stories available on the service.

 

Taking the power into their own hands to watch whenever, wherever and on the device of their choice, consumers across Egypt have continued to discover a new way of enjoying entertainment on demand. With more than 1,000 hours of Original programming which accounts for more than 400 titles added in 2017, viewers have Netflixed their way through the wide range of movies, kids’ content, documentaries, stand-up comedies and critically-acclaimed Netflix Originals shows available on the service such as Narcos, Santa Clarita Diet, Mindhunter, and The Crown.

 

 

Leyla Guilany-Lyard, Netflix MENA spokesperson said, “Egypt has a long and rich heritage in film and cinema – it’s a country synonymous with entertainment that can transcend borders. Since launching here two years ago, Netflix has been welcomed with open arms by an Egyptian audience with a voracious appetite for amazing content and a desire to be entertained.”

 

She continued: “We see massive potential in the market and we’re thrilled about what’s in store for 2018 and beyond. As we enter into a new phase of big global and local productions with some of the greatest directors, actors and writers in the film business, we look forward to continue bringing great stories from all over the world to people all over the world.”

 

 

What Did Egypt Watch in 2017?

Internet TV knows no time slot, no genre and no geographic bounds. Free from these constraints, Netflix catered to a dynamic world full of people with different tastes and interests. Delivering the biggest and most diverse slate of content in Netflix history all year round, viewers were spoilt for choice with new series, films, stand-up specials, documentaries and more.

 

While no show was off limits, top 2017 binge-racing temptations in Egypt included Stranger Things 2, Marvel’s The Defenders, Fuller House: Season 3 and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life: Season 1.

 

Looking for comedic relief, members in Egypt also savoured comedies like A Series of Unfortunate Events, GLOW, Disjointed and Big Mouth throughout the year while darker dramas such as The Crown and Frontier also made it to the top of Netflix’s most viewed list of titles in Egypt in 2017 so far.

 

Immersing themselves in the unknown, members in Egypt devoured sci-fi series like the Brazilian 3% show, Travelers and crime series such as the Mexican Ingobernable, The Keepers and Marvel’s Iron Fist.

What’s Next for Netflix?

Fast forward to November 2017 and Netflix is dialing up its focus on the Middle East with the intention of releasing more locally-produced and relevant content. Earlier this year, the streaming service announced its first Arabic production. The stand-up comedy special, featuring celebrated comedian Adel Karam, will premiere exclusively on Netflix in early 2018.

 

The release signals an abundant pipeline of local and international content expected over the next 13 months, as part of an $8 billion investment in content. Upcoming Netflix original films include the highly-awaited Bright, starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, premiering worldwide on 22nd December, exclusively on Netflix.

 

Discover New Stories – anytime, anywhere

Housing an abundance of entertainment on demand, Netflix has changed the way the world engages with stories. With viewers watching when, where and how they want, this new freedom has surfaced a new kind of fan, the “Binge Racer”. The Bing Racer is the Netflix viewer who strives to be the first to finish by speeding through an entire season within 24 hours of its release. Everyone knows a Binge Racer – there are about 8.4 million members who have chosen to Binge Race on Netflix and their numbers continue to grow.

 

Available on multiple devices, “offline mode” also allows users to download content on phones or tablets when connected to the internet, to enjoy when offline – on a plane, camping in the desert or even on the move in Cairo traffic when mobile broadband is patchy.

 

Technology for an uninterrupted experience

With sometimes unreliable internet speeds in Egypt, Netflix’s “adaptive streaming” technology navigates buffering to ensure uninterrupted adapting quality in relation to bandwidth.

 

Netflix is also focused on relentless improvement and delivering the best viewing experience tailored specifically to the bandwidth and device, and we are in a unique position to offer customers more bang for their bits. Better quality for the same number of bits and increasing efficiency which is a match made in heaven when internet is spotty.

 

Helping users unearth and explore new content, Netflix’ renowned algorithm, powered by sophisticated technology and an army of engineers, processes data to recognise viewing habits and deliver hyper-relevant content.

 

No more waiting. No more frustration. Just Netflix.