First ever BASE and DEGI Annual Wrap Up and Industry Outlook reflects on 2023, delivers predictions for Entertainment in 2024
Attendees from over 40 organisations toast another eventful year for Home Entertainment in the UK and internationally.
The first ever Home Entertainment Annual Wrap Up and Industry Outlook was hosted by the British Association for Screen Entertainment and the Digital Entertainment Group International, on Tuesday 12th December, at the London HQ of Sony Pictures.
The invitation-only event delivered a view of sector performance trends through discussions and panels with senior entertainment leaders across a packed morning agenda, with reflections on 2023, and distilled predictions for 2024.
A powerful speaker line-up included Holly Comiskey, SVP and Country Manager, Distribution and Networks UK & GSA, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Alexandra Lewis, SVP Marketing, Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland; George Lawson, Head of Commercial Strategy at Sky; and Phil Halliday, Managing Director at HMV Retail Ltd.
The big stories of the morning were the importance of theatrical success on the eco-system of Home Entertainment, the halo effect that all release windows can play on complimentary entertainment channels, and, of course, the opportunity and challenge poised by the growing influence and availability of ad spend, and the success of BARBIE in 2023, with the marketing message: don’t be afraid to give the brands to the people!
A holistic view of sector insights delivered by BASE, Omdia, NBCUniversal, Futuresource Consulting, and Ampere Analysis, were complimented by an exciting marketing and creator economy panel that included YouTube, Lunar X, JustWatch, and Playhuman. The event, supported by creative agency SPARK, finished with the wrapping and hundreds of gifts donated to charities Dost and Welcome Newham, as they support legal refugee and asylum families and children in the UK this Christmas.
Liz Bales, CEO, BASE, said: ‘It was an honour to stage this last entertainment community event of the year for our industry colleagues. We are so grateful to Sony Pictures for their participation and support in hosting the event, and not least BASE Chair Rob Marsh, our Joint DEGI Chairs Ruth Sharp of Warner Bros Discovery and Joe Braman of NBCU, and industry veteran and longstanding BASE board member Robert Callow for their passionate support for BASE and DEGI. This event captured the essence of one vision across the product lifecycle, and the innovation and creativity at the heart of our community. Partnership and collaboration are integral to BASE and DEGI and were identified by everyone in the room as an important part of the growth of our industry, exemplified by the speakers, the attendees, and the charity activity for Dost and Welcome Newham. I’d like to thank everyone for their support this year, the BASE and DEGI Boards and team for all their efforts and wish all colleagues across the entertainment industry a merry Christmas, and an exciting new year!’
