Collide Debuts at SXSW, Offers Celebrity Access and Monetization
A live streaming platform called Collide made its official debut at South by Southwest, currently underway in Austin, Texas, and it stands apart from competitors like Live.Me and YouNow by its celebrity access and range of monetization options. While it has no videos from them yet, the founders say celebrity A-listers including Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Sofia Vergara, and Boy George will create live streams for their fans. Collide is available through browsers and as an iOS app. An Android app will appear in the coming weeks.
Users need an account to view most content on Collide. Some video will be free and some for a price. The service uses credits, which cost $4.99 for 50. Creators have the option of setting any price they want for their streams. They can set a monthly subscription price, offer pay-per-view streams, or work with brands to offer free sponsored content.
As Collide has just launched, the only videos on the service now are from teen singer/songwriter Jacob Satorius. Bodybuilder Phil Heath will start streaming tomorrow, and professional poker player Phil Hellmuth is debuting on Wednesday.
Besides getting a range of monetization options, video creators can offer a variety of different services through Collide. They can offer one-on-one phone calls, text messages, or SMS messages with photos. The founders expect their A-list contributors to occasionally offer phone calls as a fun perk for fans.
Creating an account is free, and users can request notifications when a favorite contributor is streaming. Collide was created by Robert Earl, also the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood, with the idea of bringing stars and their fans closer.
"For too long, content creators have not had a platform on which they can perform and instruct where they directly benefit," says Andrew Mains, CEO of Collide. "I'm excited that Collide solves this across an array of verticals."
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