Netflix Expands Offline With Fan-Fueled Entertainment Concept

Two years ago, Netflix made the announcement that it would open “Netflix Houses,” an offline concept where visitors would be able to shop, eat, play, and interact with their favorite shows in real life. Today, the streaming giant is sharing more details about the first location openings and what consumers can expect to experience, indicating a clear intention to develop brand touchpoints through physical retail and engage with consumers in additional ways.

From Streaming Leader to Lifestyle Brand

Netflix is officially expanding its footprint outside the digital sphere, with two Netflix Houses opening in Philadelphia and Dallas by the end of the year, and a third location in Las Vegas later on. The concept: extending its hit shows into real life and allowing visitors to immerse themselves and interact with the shows they love in-person. The spaces are developed to feel like playful, highly engaging touchpoints where fandom can be lived and expressed. “Finally, a place where the Netflix story you can’t get enough of becomes something real that you can play, shop, and taste. This is fandom coming to life, where you can actually step inside the worlds you’ve been watching and loving for years,” shared Marian Lee, Netflix’s Chief Marketing Officer, on a company article.

Netflix will merge the physical and digital worlds by offering VR games, where individuals will be able to play as the main character of a show or movie, play games, trivia nights and catch a movie while having a snack. The spaces are designed to feel like a giant playground for the fans of Netflix original shows and movies.

These spaces – which will be permanent locations – signal a bigger ambition for Netflix: expand beyond screens to become a broader part of today’s culture by interacting with people as they play, eat, and socialize. This move echoes Disney’s evolution as a global cultural phenomenon that grew into a brand that’s part of our culture, with theme parks being part of everyone’s childhood (and adulthood too). By investing in physical spaces and experimenting with offline play and retail, Netflix is building experiences from scratch and hoping to anchor itself as a cultural brand, potentially hoping to turn into a lifestyle brand that spans beyond streaming.

At a time when streaming platforms are fighting for subscribers, physical spaces provide a differentiated, engaging and fun platform that doesn’t compare with digital offerings. Building these year-round, evolving immersive experiences will allow the streaming giant to embed itself further into modern culture and hopefully build loyalty amongst consumers. Gen Z’s appetite for unique experiences and social-media worthy environments will certainly find a home with these Netflix Houses, expanding the streaming’s giant’s reach as a cultural brand and universe.

In bringing its hit shows into the real world through permanent spaces that merge retail, dining and entertainment, Netflix is opening a new chapter aimed at turning content into culture and engaging with consumers far beyond the screen. Having already expanded into retail through fashion and lifestyle collabs, the streaming player is now going all in to grow its brand and stand out amidst fierce competition in the entertainment industry. A question looms: is this type of entertainment concept the future of theme parks?