Permission: An AVOD Relaunch Case Study Focused on Platform-Native Creative
- Devin Paxton
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Not every marketing win comes from launching something new.
Some come from giving an existing title the right second life.
Permission, written and directed by Brian Crano, features a recognizable cast including Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Gina Gershon, Morgan Spector, Jason Sudeikis, and François Arnaud. Yes, François Arnaud from Crave's Hit Series, Heated Rivalry. In April 2024, the film transitioned from VOD into AVOD distribution, landing on platforms including Tubi, Pluto TV, and Freevee.
The challenge wasn’t awareness — the film already existed.
The challenge was repositioning it for platforms where attention, behavior, and creative expectations are fundamentally different.
This case study breaks down how I approached the AVOD relaunch by reworking existing assets, tailoring creative for platform discovery, and optimizing for passive viewing behavior rather than intent-driven search.
Objective: Make an Existing Film Feel Native to AVOD
The goal of the Permission relaunch was simple and specific:
Reintroduce the film to new audiences on AVOD platforms
Optimize creative for free, algorithm-driven discovery
Extend the film’s lifecycle without additional production spend
Drive meaningful viewership using existing footage and assets
This was not a full campaign build.It was a strategic recalibration.
Strategic Constraints
The relaunch operated under several clear constraints:
No new footage or press cycle
No cast availability for new promotion
Limited runway following the platform transition
AVOD environments where viewers decide in seconds
The opportunity lay in creative reframing, not expansion.
Strategic Approach
AVOD audiences behave differently than theatrical or VOD audiences.
They:
Scroll passively
Respond to familiarity
Prioritize ease and immediacy
Rarely seek context before watching
The strategy focused on three principles:
Platform-Native Creative
Content had to look like it belonged on Tubi and Pluto — not like repurposed theatrical marketing.
Immediate Value Proposition
Every asset needed to answer one question instantly:Why should I watch this right now?
Recognizable Entry Points
Cast moments, emotional tension, and clear genre signals replaced plot exposition.
Execution
Creative Development
Using existing footage, I developed two weeks of short-form content designed specifically for AVOD discovery environments:
Trailer cuts with updated end cards:
“Watch Free on Tubi”
“Now Streaming on Pluto TV”
Short, high-impact clips emphasizing:
Relationship tension
Emotional stakes
Recognizable cast moments
Thumbnails and opening frames optimized for:
Faces
Reaction
Tone clarity
No asset assumed prior familiarity with the film.
Platform Deployment
The rollout prioritized Instagram and YouTube, with creative tailored for each:
Instagram
Vertical-first edits
Feed and Reels placements
Passive discovery over CTA-heavy copy
YouTube
Longer trailer-based cuts
Thumbnail optimization for click-through
AVOD-aligned messaging
Content was distributed through the film’s channels and aligned brand accounts to reinforce visibility without overexposure.
Results
Across the two-week AVOD-focused rollout:
Instagram: 100.3K views
YouTube: 314K views
The relaunch demonstrated that catalog titles can meaningfully perform on AVOD when creative is rebuilt for the platform — not simply reposted.
Why This Case Study Matters
Studios and distributors often treat AVOD as an afterthought — a final stop in a film’s lifecycle.
This relaunch proved the opposite.
When approached intentionally, AVOD becomes:
A discovery engine
A second audience entry point
A meaningful extension of a film’s value
Permission didn’t need a new story.
It needed the right presentation in the right environment.
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