Three Lessons Learned from “Some Good News”

Just how popular is video content now? Well, consider the passionate backlash that has erupted over John Krasinski’s YouTube show, “Some Good News.” In late March, the actor (made famous by The Office) launched “Some Good News” on YouTube as a way of spreading positive vibes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The premise was simple: at a time when the world was getting hammered with negative news about the pandemic, Krasinski was going to counter those negative vibes with uplifting stories and humorous guest celebrity appearances from the likes of Brad Pitt. What wasn’t to like?

The show caught on right away. The first episode racked 17 million views, and each episode after that gained an overwhelmingly positive groundswell of support from grateful audiences hunkering down in their homes and enduring extended periods of quarantine. And for good reason: the show was goofy and lighthearted. Celebs such as Emma Stone delivered weather forecasts. Krasinski was a perfectly lovable news anchor, sort of like a Tom Hanks for a Millennial and Gen Z generation. The news stories were hilarious and uplifting, such as a recent segment on a Tennessee family using a pulley to make a family member fly like a Harry Potter character. Billie Eilish appeared at a virtual prom. On May 10, the show hosted a reunion of most of The Office cast to officiate a wedding on Zoom. The show also created a social media sensation, in particular for John Krasinski, who became a folk hero on social.

But then, everything changed.

On May 22, The Hollywood Reporter announced that the show would move to CBS All Access “following a massive bidding war.” The show would be put on pause until this summer when it would re-emerge behind a firewall as part of the CBS/Viacom network. John Krasinski would no longer be the host. Fans unleashed a furious tirade on social. How, they asked, could Krasinski get viewers excited up about a show intended to spread good cheer, accumulating millions of views – only to sell it to CBS/Viacom and have it live behind a firewall going forward? And why wasn’t he going to host the show anymore? Others urged him to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts whatever profits he made from the show.

One thing we know: the show will be back this summer. Meanwhile, the rise of “Some Good News,” and the fan outcry about its future, demonstrate some truths about storytelling via video:

• Video is king. According to a recent Google survey, one in two Gen Zers and Millennials say “they don’t know how they’d get through life” without video. That number is huge: Gen Zers and Millennials comprise about half the media audience.

• Sharing meaningful, reassuring content right now goes a long way as people learn to live with COVID-19. According to a Kantar study of consumer attitudes, 77 percent of the general population would like to see brands talk about how they're helpful in the new everyday life, and 70 percent would like brands to offer a reassuring tone. “Some Good News” is both helpful and reassuring.

• Build trust – and keep it. We live in a time of widespread distrust. According to the May edition of the Edelman Trust barometer, only 38 percent of the general population believes that businesses are doing well or very well putting people ahead of profits. Unfortunately, people perceived that putting “Some Good News” behind the firewall as a breach of trust. Will they learn to trust the show?

At Investis Digital, we have deep experience helping businesses build trusted relationships with video. Our recent blog post by Luke Bishop, “Video: The Path to Gen Zers’ Hearts,” offers more insight.