ITV Studios at StreamTV Europe
ITV Studios‘long-running world hit format Love Island took middle stage in Lisbon, Portugal on Monday in a session at the inaugural StreamTV Europe entitled “Digital Primetime: The Love Island Case Study.”
The panel centered on how UK TV big ITV’s studios unit has tackled fragmented viewership around the globe and corralled followers and fandoms to make Love Island an ongoing obsession on digital platforms even when the present does not air within the UK, US or in different key territories. And that success has additionally helped TV scores, with season 12 within the UK turning into its greatest season in three years and the US Peacock model being essentially the most streamed unique TV collection in North America final 12 months.
Ruth Berry, ITV Studios‘president of worldwide partnerships, and colleagues shared that it’s all about fanning the fandom. Their objective was to make sure that followers of the franchise can “have it as a daily conversation in their lives,” she defined, recommending to the trade viewers: “Think about the engagement of fans off-air. [Especially,] in between seasons, it is important to continue that narrative” and fan engagement.
Martin Trickey, managing director of Zoo 55, ITV Studios’ digital content material label, stated the success is all about creating “a social community.” And he emphasised: “Saying we wanted to be part of the conversation meant to first listen.”
Part of that listening course of means to not ignore, or hit with takedown notices, user-generated content material across the present. Case in level: 9.7 billion natural views throughout owned and operated and native channels on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram is what ITV Studios created by way of Love Island content material in 2025. But that was dwarfed by the 49.3 billion views throughout community-created video content material with Love Island associated hashtags final 12 months. ITV Studios dropped “regular content to keep the conversation going and avoid awkward silences,” he quipped. But then followers did the remaining. And ITV Studios has been making an attempt to “listen to the fans and change the show accordingly” when wanted.
Will Scougal, government vp, model & business partnerships and head of ITV Studios’ Studio 55, a world model partnership studio launched this 12 months that’s designed to supply manufacturers, advertising and marketing companies and content material creators entry to ITV Studios’ mental property, famous how the success has additionally translated into merchandising gross sales. For instance, the corporate has offered greater than 2 million Love Island water bottles, and a sport has reached greater than 35 million installs.
At the StreamTV in Lisbon, he additionally unveiled a Corona Sunbrew partnership with Love Island: Beyond the Villaa Love Island spin-off. A tagline famous that “that life gets juicier when you embrace every moment.” And ITV Studios defined that Corona Sunbrew is giving one fortunate fan 21 or older the prospect to win a Beyond the Villa-inspired weekend in Los Angeles curated by Amaya Espinal as a part of the partnership.