Netflix and Qwikster: Wicked Smart

On the left, Netflix's Qwikster ad.  On the right, Twitter's user, Qwikster.

I had a minor freak out today.  After 5 miles on my bike, facing the wind and woes of the road, I am rewarded not with a bagel, but an announcement from one of my favorite companies, Netflix. 

Computer open.  Dinosaur comics read.  Technology news browsing commences.  Surprise Eric!  Netflix is splitting its business in two!  Now we are Netflix and… Qwikster!  Netflikster!

Oh no you didn’t!  First of all, you did not just rip your company in half.  Sure you had to cut your subscriber forecast by a million (24 million instead of 25 million).  And I’m sorry about the Starz deal.  You see, my problem is this smelled like desperation.  A last ditch effort move.  Netflix (and Qwikster now) is hardly in this position, but how else should I feel?  AND, oh no you didn’t call it Qwikster.  Qwikster?  Like a very fast hipster?  I know you’re trying to convince me that the DVDs get to me quickly, but I wasn’t worried about that to begin with.

Alright, now it’s been like 10 hours.  I’ve reflected, read some articles, and come up with my own impression.

 

I love this.

Netflix is doubling down on the idea that physical media has a finite place in society (actually, DVDs literally have a finite life…).  And you know what, they’re right.  I ask myself, “when’s the last time I bought a DVD?”  I’m not sure, but I can promise you it was certainly something not available on Netflix Instant Watch.  In fact, I’ve moved the other direction.  I’ve been jettisoning physical media like some kind of jettisonable plague (maybe via a cough).  I’m ready to get rid of the junk cluttering the house and move to a digital world.  So, I commend you, Netflix.  Put your DVD division in the garage and if it gets too cold for it to survive the winter, it’s got to die.  That was a metaphor. 

On a side note, other people are really mad about this, evidenced by a lot of nagging posts in a number of locations on the internet.  I say, chill out.  My prediction is that Netflix will have some great content deals for their streaming service that they’ll announce soon.  Come on Full House.