LOVEFiLM

MONTH OF AWARDS AS HYBRID SERVICE CELEBRATES TRIPLE HONOURS  

In the space of a month LOVEFiLM has won three awards: Best Brand (Tech Track Awards 2010), WOW! That’s What I Call Service (WOW! Awards) and Web App of the Year (Stuff Awards).  

LOVEFiLM, Europe’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the internet and sending DVDs by post, has been recognised as one of Britain’s fastest-growing privately-owned technology companies once again  and was named Best Brand at The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 awards. Tech Track praised LOVEFiLM for their Watch Online service which is available on the PC, the PlayStation®3 or streamed direct to TV. 

Adding to their digital accolades, LOVEFiLM won the Web App of the Year at the Stuff Awards – an annual event celebrating the top technology gadgets of 2010 as judged by Stuff’s readers and an expert panel. 

Rounding off the awards hat-trick is the WOW! That’s What I Call Service award which recognises LOVEFiLM as a leading company for Customer Service– it’s the only national award for Customer Service to be based entirely on customer nominations. 

Simon Calver, Chief Executive Officer of LOVEFiLM commented:

“It is a great compliment to be recognised by so many award panels as a service that goes above and beyond expectations. We have built the business to be one of the leading entertainment brands and that is testament to the hard work and commitment shown by our passionate staff, the loyalty and ongoing support of our studio partners and our customers. We’ve had a great year for introducing new platforms to our customers, including direct to TV streaming and the PlayStation®3, and we look forward to continued success.”

CONTENT DEAL WITH LEADING INDEPENDENT ADDS EXCLUSIVE PAY TV RIGHTS & WATCH ONLINE TITLES INCLUDING THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO 

LOVEFiLM has struck a major content deal with leading independent distributor Momentum Pictures, an Alliance Films Company, offering its members a catalogue of titles to watch online and via internet-enabled devices exclusively through the LOVEFiLM Player. 

The agreement sees LOVEFiLM, Europe’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the internet and sending DVDs by post, boosting its digital streaming offering with a selection of top titles that will not have been seen on any subscription or TV movie service before, including the award winning Millennium Trilogy films – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.  

The new titles, which will be exclusive to LOVEFiLM for one year, include 30 brand new films available to watch as part of members’ subscriptions, as well as further titles from Momentum Pictures’ back catalogue such as Dorian Gray, 44 Inch Chest and Brooklyn’s Finest. 

Simon Calver, CEO of LOVEFiLM commented: 

“We successfully launched LOVEFiLM on the PS3 last week. These new, never-been-seen-before on subscription TV titles will drive growth on that new service in the heart of the living room. This deal is another great milestone for LOVEFiLM’s streaming service, allowing us to further enhance our digital offering with a selection of must-watch titles from one of UK’s leading studios. LOVEFiLM’s exclusivity in this partnership will mean that we are the only digital outlet offering such quality titles – further securing our place as a leading provider in digital entertainment.” 

Nick Smith, Head of TV & New Media Sales at Momentum, said:

“We are delighted to be working with LOVEFiLM to provide new and exclusive content for their constantly growing online offering and believe it to be the perfect platform from which lovers of independent films can access the best in current film entertainment.”

LOVEFiLM AND UBISOFT PARTNER TO UNVEIL INNOVATIVE MEDIA FIRST

LOVEFiLM has joined forces with leading international games publisher Ubisoft®, offering its members a chance to watch the new trailer of the latest and third instalment of the hugely successful gaming franchise, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, through augmented reality (AR) – a media first for both companies.

For the first time LOVEFiLM, Europe’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by post, has created a run of 350 thousand Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood themed envelopes that carry an embedded AR code to give gamers an even higher level of interaction with LOVEFiLM’s service – envelopes will be delivered directly to members letterboxes and visitors to the site can download and print-off a digital version.

The innovative envelopes were developed by technology specialists Crossplatform TV- experts in AR, Digital Out Of Home (DOOH), Web TV and Mobile.

Online promotion for the game, which is available on PS3™, XBOX 360 and PC formats, centres around the bespoke Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood microsite (www.lovefilm.com/brotherhood). It provides fans with a synopsis and visuals of the game and the chance to vote for the Ultimate Film Assassin.

Dionne Georgiou, Media Sales Team Manager for LOVEFiLM commented:

“The Assassin’s Creed series is a hugely popular gaming franchise, and we’re excited to be working in partnership with Ubisoft® and Crossplatform TV to offer our members an even higher level of interaction with the new game via augmented reality envelopes. It is certain to do justice to such a highly regarded game.”

Jan Sanghera, Senior Product Manager for Ubisoft® commented:

“With a gaming title that is as visually immersive as it is engaging, it’s a great opportunity for us to work with LOVEFiLM on the launch of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. LOVEFiLM acts as the perfect platform for us to spread the Assassin’s Creed message to a wide base of entertainment lovers as well as gamers.”

LOVEFiLM ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL DIGITAL PARTNER  

Today LOVEFiLM launches on PlayStation®3 (PS3™) through award-winning developer Push Button Ltd who have signed a significant agreement to partner with LOVEFiLM and act as an extension of the service’s internal development team. 

LOVEFiLM, Europe’s largest subscription service, streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by post, has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Pushbutton to develop services for digital platforms which will be rolled out onto multiple devices. This will allow LOVEFiLM to rapidly develop the service’s multi-country, multi-territory and multi-product deployment. 

The partnership will see LOVEFiLM further develop its interactive content applications, user interfaces and service guides to be playable on many new devices across new territories ensuring the largest possible audience for future use.    

The PS3™ launch follows in the wake of successful deployment in March 2010 of the Sony Bravia and Blu-ray devices version, also developed by Pushbutton, which won the Best New Product of the Year at the International Business Awards. 

Pushbutton is well known for its work with leading brands such as the BBC, ITV and Microsoft. Over the past four years they have developed a framework to facilitate development and expertise in the area of IPTV and connected device deployment including cable, satellite, Internet Connected TV’s, Games Consoles, Tablets and hand-held devices. 

In addition to offering its 1.4 million members access to over 67,000 titles for rental, LOVEFiLM now offers thousands of films and TV shows available to ‘Watch Online’ via the LOVEFiLM Player and on connected devices including SONY BRAVIA, Samsung TVs and starting today the PlayStation®3. 

LOVEFiLM Group Digital Officer, Lesley Mackenzie, said,

“Today’s announcement will allow LOVEFiLM to build upon our leadership in launching compelling and ground-breaking video content on many different platforms. Our work with Pushbutton over the last 12 months has convinced us that they are the absolute best partner to work with as we accelerate our digital roll out plans internationally. Their ability to quickly get to grips with delivering to a diverse range of digital platforms including consoles, IPTV and a multiplicity of connected TV’s and handheld devices is second to none. They were the obvious choice of partner in what is a very exciting period in the digital growth of LOVEFiLM.” 

Managing Director of Push Button Ltd, Paula Byrne, said,

 “Pushbutton is delighted to be chosen by LOVEFiLM as its digital partner and looks forward to bringing the LOVEFiLM service to a wide variety of digital devices. Helping big brands with ambitious digital rollout plans is what we do best. It plays to our strengths in designing and developing screen-based services that exploit the potential of a variety of devices and platforms in the rapidly changing digital media landscape.”

PATRICK SWAYZE CLASSIC VOTED FAVOURITE FEEL-GOOD FILM  

As winter sets in and the nation is struck down by flu we can reveal Dirty Dancing is the Best Feel-Good Film of All Time, side stepping the likes of uplifting movies Grease and Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death.   

LOVEFiLM, Europe’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by post, polled over 2,000 film fans to discover the top ten films that instantly make you feel better. Dirty Dancing has been voted the best movie medicine gaining 15 per cent of the vote, securing the film’s place in feel-good history and a spot on the LOVEFiLM Player. 

For my first lesson, what is a hangover? Second in the list is School of Rock starring comic actor Jack Black. Jack Black’s one-liners coupled with the film’s morale boosting can-do attitude rock this little number into second place, with 11 per cent of the vote. 

Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 The NeverEnding Story cast a spell over 10 per cent of voters who placed it third in the feel-good list – we could go on and on and on about this great classic. 

Shimmying in at number four (9 per cent) is Grease, which saw a young John Travolta reaffirm his status as superstar for his performance as cheeky T-Bird Danny Zuko. The movie received five Golden Globe Award nominations in 1979 and was the highest grossing movie and musical of 1978. Taking fifth place (6 per cent) after bursting onto cinema screens in 1952, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain proved that the classics were high on the list of fan’s favourite feel-good movies and is one of the oldest film titles available on the Watch Online service. 

1998’s You’ve Got Mail reunites Sleepless in Seattle stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as two business rivals who fall in love over the internet, which appeared at  number six in the poll (6 per cent). Meanwhile, Wallace and Gromit found that it wasn’t A Matter of Loaf and Death after all, with Nick Park’s 2008 animation slipping behind into seventh place (5 per cent).     

Of all the things to lose, Matthew McConaughey isn’t one of them and film fans agreed as the 2003 romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days took eighth place (4 per cent). 

Bill Murray didn’t need the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to change his fortunes in this poll.  Richard Donner’s 1988 Scrooged secured ninth place (3 per cent). Rounding-off the top ten is Clueless starring Alicia Silverstone as the loveable Beverley Hills bimbo, Cher. 

The top ten film sequels listed below are now available to watch instantly on the LOVEFiLM Player:  

1. Dirty Dancing (1987) – 15%
2. School of Rock (2003) – 11%
3. The NeverEnding Story (1984) – 10%
4. Grease (1978) – 9%
5. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) –7%
6. You’ve Got Mail (1998) – 6%
7. Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008) – 5%
8. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) – 4%
9. Scrooged (1998) – 3%
10.  Clueless (1995) – 2% 

Other – 28% 

Helen Cowley, Editor at LOVEFiLM commented:

“There’s no beating a good classic to lift your spirits when you are feeling under the weather. Dirty Dancing has all the key ingredients to pick you up, a first love, summer romance, great dancing, Patrick Swayze and one of the best soundtracks in film.” 

“All of the top ten feel-good titles are available to watch online now via the LOVEFiLM Player, which means they can be accessed instantly when you’re not feeling well.”