How the plus sign won the streaming wars

Los Angeles Times

Next year, Paramount+ and Discovery+ join Disney+, ESPN+, Apple TV+, BET+ and AMC+ in using the plus sign for their streaming services. So why the fixation with the plus? Marketing expert Steve Kazanjian tells Los Angeles Times' Stephen Battaglio that the plus sign is the most efficient way to bring awareness to a new service. “There is a stake in the ground that’s around ‘plus’ right now,” he says. “It’s in the consumer lexicon. It owns a bit of emotional equity in your brain already, which is really powerful.” For instance, Discovery tested all sorts of names for its upcoming streaming service, using surveys and focus groups, and that's how Discovery+ won out. “Our research confirmed that the plus sign has become synonymous with streaming video on demand services,” said David Leavy, chief operating officer for Discovery.