Bloomberg‘s Anousha Sakoui and Mark Gurman say Apple is taking aim at voters for prestigious awards like the Oscars and the Emmys. The Cupertino firm is reportedly hiring strategists to arrange screenings and other events for Hollywood insiders and those that vote on awards.
Apple is forming a team of people with awards strategy experience. In January, it hired one such person from Walt Disney Co.’s television group. The iPhone maker is also seeking a high-level candidate to oversee the process, one of the people familiar with the situation said. The company could be in the running for Emmy awards as early as 2020, according to people familiar with the process.
Apple already has a load of content it is readying for their upcoming television streaming service, with dozens of original TV series and movies in production. Numerous Hollywood stars are involved in the project, including Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell.
Awards strategists arrange screenings and other publicity events for Hollywood insiders and others who vote on which movies and TV shows win awards. These promoters must work within strict guidelines while ensuring voters see the movies and even spend time with the actors and filmmakers. Winning top prizes can draw consumers to subscribe to streaming services. It also attracts higher-profile directors and actors who once considered online video operations second rate to Hollywood studios.
Apple’s awards campaigns wouldn’t be unusual in the industry as other streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix, have all had their original content nominated for the Oscars and Emmys. Winning awards benefits a streaming service by attracting high-profile actors and directors for new projects.