Netflix needs to watch its back. Throughout 2021, demand for HBO/HBO Max originals grew at a faster pace than demand for Netflix originals, according to Parrot Analytics data.
Both platforms saw demand for their programming grow, which is an important reminder that the total size of the streaming pie is still growing. However, as HBO Max reached its first anniversary this year it was gaining ground on Netflix.
From January to December 2021, the total demand for HBO and HBO Max Originals grew by 14.2%. This slightly outpaced Netflix’s growth during the same period, which was 10.3%. HBO Max originals alone saw a 39.2% growth in their demand this year. This illustrates how HBO Max has become a growth engine for HBO branded content. Demand for original content is a key leading indicator of subscriber growth, suggesting that Max Originals played an important role in getting HBO’s total global subscriber count up to 73.8 million by the end of 2021.
The variety of HBO Max originals with the highest demand is proof the platform is investing in content that appeals to a broad audience base. HBO Max clearly has a major asset in its DC series — four of the 10 most in-demand HBO Max originals are in the DC universe: “Titans,” “Doom Patrol,” “Harley Quinn” and “Young Justice.” However, the platform brings more to the table than just its DC offerings. Contrast this with Disney+, whose top originals are almost exclusively split between its two key franchises — Marvel and “Star Wars.”
Two kids’ series are among the 10 most in-demand originals from HBO Max. In fact, “Sesame Street” had the highest demand of all these shows. It was a savvy decision for the platform to move “Infinity Train” to HBO Max from Cartoon Network and switch the first run of “Sesame Street” to the platform. These shows have proven to be some of the platform’s most in-demand originals. Other shows among the 10 most in-demand HBO Max originals for the year range from a college comedy (“The Sex Lives of College Girls“) to an otherworldly sci-fi drama (“Raised by Wolves”) to a reboot of a classic comedy-drama (“And Just Like That…“).
