An interview with Vicki Lins, CTAM President and CEO
With the new year underway, I’ve been reflecting on the seismic shifts we’ve witnessed, industry trends and how we examined them in our executive educational programs and research over the past year. Choice overload, platform dominance and strategic bundling are clearly reshaping the media and entertainment landscape. To thrive in 2025 and beyond, media companies must adapt to these changes while remaining customer-centric and innovative. I’ll share some of my key takeaways and offer a glimpse into the future of audience engagement.
Too Many Choices, Too Little Satisfaction
The sheer volume of streaming content now available is staggering. As world-renowned choice expert and Columbia Business Professor Sheena Iyengar highlighted this past spring at our CTAM Think forum, “When people face too many options, they choose not to choose; they choose sub-optimally, they have less consistency in their preferences, and they are less satisfied with the choices they do make.” The challenge is clear: more choices do not always translate to better decisions or higher audience engagement.
Simplifying the Consumer Experience
The key to navigating this complexity is simplification. Iyengar pointed out, “People are more likely to make a choice if they encounter fewer options.” For media companies, the task is to streamline the consumer experience without sacrificing choice, allowing viewers to discover content that resonates with them while avoiding decision fatigue.
One of the most promising strategies to manage choice overload involves bundling and platform ecosystems. Amazon’s Prime Video, for example, has successfully combined subscription-based videos into a seamless hub. Prime Video General Manager and Head Matt Cohen explained, during his Q&A at CTAM Think, that bundling boosts acquisition and helps reduce churn. Bundling also enables synergy between services, producing cohesive offerings that provide more value for the consumer while reducing friction for providers.
Winning Through Partnerships
The lesson is simple, says Marshall Van Alstyne, Boston University Questrom School of Business Professor: “Don’t innovate alone.” Partnerships create opportunities for greater reach, better customer experiences and shared success.
Van Alstyne, one of the leading voices in platform innovation, shared his academic perspective during his keynote session at our CTAM Think fall forum. As he explained, bundling kills competition—it’s incredibly powerful for the ecosystem. But the power of bundling is not just about combining services; it’s about creating a network effect, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For platforms, the closer you are to the customer, the more value you can create, and the better positioned you are to win in this competitive market.
Embracing the Future: Authenticity, Innovation, and Collaboration
The future of marketing is not just about reaching consumers—it’s about building authentic, community-driven connections. As Van Alstyne reminded us, “The job of a platform is to consummate the match—interactions create value.” This insight highlights the importance of creating environments where genuine interactions can take place, building relationships that endure. This often means embracing creator- and influencer-driven marketing to elevate brand perception and engagement in the process.
Looking ahead, it is clear the companies that will succeed will be those that understand the complexities of the choice-driven landscape, embrace collaboration, and prioritize genuine engagement. Thriving in this new era will come down to the ability to adapt, innovate, and deliver unforgettable value that resonates deeply with audiences.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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