Consider this scenario: A platform has commissioned a new series seeking the broadest possible appeal for the teen demographic worldwide. As the final master English versions are completed, a producer suspects scenes involving heavy partying, drinking, and drug use may be too hedonistic for some Asian territories targeted for the upcoming release.

Media companies spend a lot of time and money studying and modeling consumer behaviors. It's big business and a critical component of today's media marketplace. Entire companies, platforms with specialized engineering teams, academic researchers, entrepreneurs, and the public attempt to find the Holy Grail of search algorithms that provide the best way to recommend titles, so you don't change the channel.

The past 12 months have seen significant change and disruption in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. Due to the impacts of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are now more accustomed to being entertained at home and on multiple devices. The growth of online subscriptions reached levels analysts had not predicted for another two or three years. For example, Disney+ achieved subscriber numbers that Netflix took seven years to reach. The amount of money spent to buy new content also increased, hitting $220B in 2021—the most ever by the industry.

In two previous posts, “ Worldwide Content Classification – What Happens When You Get It Wrong ,” and “ Worldwide Content Classification – How Hard Can It Be? ” we’ve laid out the challenge facing content creators and distributors who want to market their content globally. In this post, we will discuss how to avoid making mistakes that can be costly either economically, legally or reputationally, and get your content released in international markets faster than ever before.