African streaming platform Showmax has officially relaunched in Kenya, bringing a refreshed platform, new original content, and unbeatable pricing plans to Kenyan audiences.
The relaunch follows a strategic investment between MultiChoice and Comcast, giving rise to a new and improved Showmax.
“It’s incredible to think that just over 12 months ago, Showmax embarked on a brand-new chapter in our story, and today we’re on the other side of what has been a significant change,” said Emma Gichonge, Showmax GM in East Africa. “The partnership between MultiChoice Group and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky came with several strategic changes, all designed to make Showmax stronger and more able to meet the streaming demands of the African continent.”
Powered by the Peacock Platform
Showmax now runs on the globally scaled, Technology and Engineering Emmy-winning Peacock platform. According to Gichonge, this has prepared Showmax to achieve its ambition of being the best streaming service on the African continent.
“For Showmax, the capacity of the Peacock platform fits our objectives to be the No. 1 streaming platform in Africa,” she said.
Pricing Plans
To cater to diverse needs and budgets, Showmax currently offers three competitive pricing plans in Kenya:
- Showmax Entertainment Mobile at KES 300
- Showmax Entertainment on all devices at KES 650
- Premier League (only on mobile) at KES 500
Showmax also provides bundled packages, including Showmax Entertainment and Premier League at KES 1,000, and Showmax Entertainment Mobile and Premier League at KES 700.
Premier League Mobile Plan
One of the most groundbreaking changes is the launch of the Showmax Premier League mobile plan, the first stand-alone mobile plan of its kind in Africa. “Showmax Premier League was created specifically for this continent, which is home to 250 million Premier League fans and 450 million smartphones,” Gichonge explained.
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Timothy Okwaro, Executive Head of Programming MultiChoice Africa Holdings, highlighted the company’s hyper-local content strategy and the benefits of the Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky deal for international content.
“The deal gives Showmax a guaranteed pipeline of content from Universal Pictures, NBC, Peacock, Sky, DreamWorks Animation, and Telemundo,” Okwaro said. “Showmax also draws content from a range of international studios, including the hugely popular Paramount and HBO, as well as Banijay, BBC, eOne, Fremantle, ITV, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros., Discovery, and more.”
New Kenyan Original Titles
As part of its hyper-local strategy and ramped-up content plan, Showmax is launching four new Kenyan titles in May, with even more expected in 2024.
The titles include the comedy-drama series “Big Girl Small World” (premiered on May 8), “Untying Kantai” (May 9), “The Real Housewives of Nairobi S2” (May 10), and the first Kenyan Showmax Original docuseries “Nilichoma” (May 28).
International Blockbusters
In addition to local content, Showmax is also bringing international blockbusters to Kenyan audiences. In May, the platform will feature the #1 box office movie of 2023, “Barbie,” from Oscar-nominated writer-director Greta Gerwig, and Christopher Nolan’s 2023 box office hit “Oppenheimer.”
By the end of May 2024, Showmax will have the three biggest box office hits of 2023 globally (“Oppenheimer,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” and “Barbie”), and six of the top 10 (#5: “Fast X,” #6: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and #9: “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning”).
