Day & Date boosts UPC buyrates

The trial of ‘day & date’ video on demand by Warner Home Video Benelux and UPC has led to buyrates of up to three times higher than the standard release window.

The day & date concept brings forward the release window by around 90 days, making it level with the introduction of the DVD to the consumer market.

Since the trial launch of the movie 300 in the Netherlands last year, nine other titles have been released, including Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix and Ocean’s 13.

Typically each movie has averaged double the rate of comparable standard DVD releases. It has also been a positive driver of revenues; at €4.99 for a 24-hour ‘rental’, the movies have added €2 to the standard price, increasing revenues threefold.

Diederik Karsten, CEO for UPC Nederland commented, said the figures fully justified the trial and commended Warner on its initiative: “There have been encouraging developments of late with local distributors. So, we hope that the other Hollywood Studios will now have the confidence to match Warner, which can only benefit our customers and content partners alike.”