A new way for Pinoy storytellers to be heard
Wattpad and Kumu recently announced a first-of-its-kind partnership. Facilitated by marketing agency Culture Group, this innovative and cutting-edge union will enable Wattpad to put its stories out on a larger platform through Kumu, either as a live audio or video stream or as social commerce.
Exclusive livestreams by Wattpad will be held on its official account on Kumu, the Philippines’ number one live streaming platform. Here, fans and aspiring writers alike can come together to discuss their appreciation for all ideas about storytelling. Every Friday at 7 p.m., viewers can tune in to watch the “Write With Me” livestream series, a special live show where fans can meet and interact with Wattpad stars. This and so much more will be unveiled in the coming weeks of this exciting partnership.
Wattpad, the global multi-platform entertainment company for original stories, boasts a diverse community of about 90 million readers globally–more than 6 million of them are in the Philippines. This partnership will give some of Wattpad’s most popular influencers the opportunity to connect with their fans in the region, developing a slate of interactive social streaming content exclusive to Kumu.
“We are excited to partner with Kumu and offer Filipinos a new way to see the stories they love come to life. The Gen Z community on Wattpad is passionate and highly engaged, and we’re excited for this new opportunity to connect readers with their favorite indie writers,” says Chris Stefanyk, head of Brand Partnerships at Wattpad.
Representing a new age of social TV, Kumu has established itself as a uniquely dominant social platform in Southeast Asia with around 10 million downloads across the world. Users are spending almost one hour per day on the app and more than 60 million livestreams watched per month. The livestreaming platform sees top Filipino celebrities joining the wave to have unique interactions with their fans.
Through the power of livestreaming, Kumu will allow its audiences to send virtual gifts to their favorite Wattpad stars. This partnership with Wattpad will enable social commerce, and will see upcoming opportunities for ticketed events, merchandise, and apparel in the near future.
“Wattpad is a big part of Gen Z Filipino culture,” says Angelo Mendez, co-founder and chief of content at Kumu. “his partnership will allow us to broaden our audiences by giving them an opportunity to foster authentic connections with their favorite Wattpad stars and new ways to enjoy their favorite Wattpad content.”