YouTube launch premium service with dodgy name

ByCraig Haley

YouTube have just launched their premium subscription service where those who sign up can forgo having to see ads, along with a number of extra bonuses like being able to watch videos offline. But there is something curious about its name…

It’s called YouTube Red. If that doesn’t sit well with you then there is probably a good reason. It does sound awfully similar to one of the Internet’s largest pornography streaming websites – RedTube. We can only imagine the number of people trying to shortcut their way to the new subscription service only to end up on a site that is the epitome of NSFW.

Why not YouTube Blue? Pink? Grey? Even Alabama Crimson would have probably been better.

The name aside, what is YouTube Red? It’s a subscription service currently only available in the US (launches officially next week) that allows a YouTube member to pay-up around $10 a month for the ability to watch unlimited videos with NO adverts, as well as the capacity to download videos for offline viewing, and provides access to the Google Play music streaming service.

YouTube have signed up its most popular “partnered” content creators over to YouTube Red, where they will be paid a percentage of the subscription revenue instead of ad revenue.


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It’s another step in the direction of subscription funded services as opposed to ad funded services. Ads have had a bad rep recently, and the rise in popularity of ad-blocking software is making life hard for websites that rely on ad revenue, and thus many are looking in the direction of subscription based business models.

At the moment, for those that don’t want to transition towards YouTube Red, there will be little difference since videos will still be available with ads on the standard YouTube. But as time goes by, you’ll notice more and more videos from those popular content creators only being available exclusively on YouTube Red. Will this be enough to entice a significant number of YouTubers into paying for Red? YouTube and Google hope so.

If all goes well, YouTube’s reputation in the video-streaming world could propel them into competing with other subscription services like NetFlix and Hulu.

What do you think? Do you agree with YouTube Red or do you still think all of YouTube should remain free? And more importantly, what madman in marketing thought up that terrible name?

Let us know your thoughts.

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