Disruptions and Innovations in Business Models for Creative Content Industries Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a virtual industry panel held in June 2020, a group of Industry Champions, respected practitioners from various content industries across the UK, gathered to share experiences and discuss business model disruption and innovation within creative organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion, led by Claudia Burger, the Policy Insights Manager, aimed to explore the implications of these changes for the medium and long term.
The panel addressed three key questions: immediate changes made to operate during the pandemic, industry, government, and research support for innovation, and new mid-term business models developed in response to COVID-19. The discussion focused on moves to home working, increased digital audience engagement, working with communities with low digital access, and the closure of theatres and galleries.
One of the topics that emerged was the shift towards digital innovation. The paper "Business model disruption and innovation during COVID-19 in the creative content industries" discusses several new business models developed in response to the pandemic. Key emergent models include branded content studios, digital transformation and platform specialization, freelancer integration and support, and collaborative market and policy ecosystems.
Branded content studios, such as Vox Creative, partner with brands to produce authentic storytelling across multiple platforms. This model leverages existing editorial expertise to build trust and direct audience connections while generating new revenue streams. Digital transformation and platform specialization involve adopting digital-first workflows, tailoring content to on-demand consumer habits shaped by lockdowns and shifting leisure patterns. Freelancer integration and support focus on creating more sustainable working arrangements and platforms that support freelance creativity and connect them with new markets and projects during and post-pandemic. Collaborative market and policy ecosystems aim to create enabling policy environments combined with partnerships across governments, investors, and global industry players to unlock financing, protect intellectual property, and promote cross-sector collaborations.
While the paper does not provide specific details about the new business models being developed in the mid-term, these themes reflect a strategic pivot towards resilience through digital innovation, diversified revenue streams, stronger collaborations, and policy engagement to sustain and grow the creative content industries during and after COVID-19 disruptions.
The panel was part of a series of policy briefs published by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. Other related briefs include "Television production, international trade, and pressures to consolidate", "Authors' Earnings in the UK", "Three ways to support growth in the creative industries", "Transitioning to Sustainable Production across the UK Theatre Sector", and "International Trade and the UK Creative Industries", among others.
The article can be referenced as Burger, C. (2020*), "Business model disruption and innovation during COVID-19 in the creative content industries," London: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. The article includes a photograph by Matthew Waring of the O2 Ritz live music venue in Manchester.
[1] Burger, C. (2020), "Business model disruption and innovation during COVID-19 in the creative content industries," London: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. [2] Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (2020), "Creative Industries Innovation in Seaside Resorts and Country Towns," London: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. [3] Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (2020), "Three ways to support growth in the creative industries," London: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre.
- The Industry Champions, during their discussion on business model disruption and innovation within creative organisations, focused on shifts towards digital innovation like branded content studios and digital transformation.
- One of the new business models discussed, branded content studios such as Vox Creative, partner with brands for authentic storytelling across multiple platforms, leveraging existing expertise to build trust and generate new revenue streams.
- Digital transformation and platform specialization in the industry involve adopting digital-first workflows and tailoring content to on-demand consumer habits shaped by lockdowns and changing leisure patterns.
- Freelancer integration and support aim to create more sustainable working arrangements, supporting freelance creativity and connecting them with new markets and projects during and post-pandemic.
- Collaborative market and policy ecosystems seek to create enabling policy environments combined with partnerships across governments, investors, and global industry players to unlock financing, protect intellectual property, and promote cross-sector collaborations.
- The panel was part of a series of policy briefs published by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, including studies on television production, authors' earnings, growth in creative industries, sustainable theatre production, and international trade.
- The article "Business model disruption and innovation during COVID-19 in the creative content industries," published by Burger, highlights a strategic pivot towards resilience through digital innovation, diversified revenue streams, stronger collaborations, and policy engagement.
- This study mentions the emergence of key business models like branded content studios, digital transformation and platform specialization, freelancer integration and support, and collaborative market and policy ecosystems.
- The paper does not provide specific details about mid-term business models being developed, but these themes reflect an attempt to sustain and grow the creative content industries during and after COVID-19 disruptions, emphasizing internationalisation, clusters, cultural heritage, education, research, talent, finance, and business strategy.
