Weekly: Turning the tables on IP creation

A few years ago, developing a new TV idea meant pitching to broadcasters, rewriting endlessly, waiting for approvals, and sometimes never hearing back.

That process is still a vital route to getting content to audiences, but it’s no longer the only option. More and more production companies, including mine, are looking at platforms like YouTube as a real and exciting way to develop and test ideas before pitching them to traditional networks.

At Pig and Horse Productions, we’re already developing upcoming shows, especially in reality and entertainment, using social platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram from the very beginning.

These platforms help us try out casting ideas, tone and style, while allowing us to adapt and develop a concept before taking the project to major broadcasters and streamers.

Eyes on China

Over the past few years, we’ve gained hands-on experience with YouTube and international content expansion.

My business partner, Anssi from Up To Level Media Finland, worked closely with the Finnish creators Pongfinity (experts in table tennis-related content), leading their entry into the Chinese market.

By monitoring Chinese video platforms, we noticed that unofficial channels were downloading Pongfinity’s YouTube content and re-uploading it for Chinese audiences, where table tennis has an enormous following.

Recognising the opportunity, we went back to the creators and advised them to establish official Chinese channels. This allowed them to take ownership of their growing audience, protect their brand, and experiment with new content formats tailored to the market

I’m really inspired by what other producers are doing in this space. For example, Dear Mann Studios recently shared that they’re co-producing a new scripted teen romance series with one of the biggest YouTube families, The Royalty Family. 

They had the chance to pitch it to Amazon, but chose YouTube instead.

The reason? Creative freedom, speed, and real audience feedback. Instead of spending years developing a show for a platform that might never pick it up, they can release it in weeks, build an audience, and possibly return to Amazon later, this time with a hit that already has millions of views.

That thinking makes a lot of sense. YouTube is not just a platform anymore. It’s a way to test ideas, connect directly with viewers, and see what really works. It lets producers move faster, adjust quickly, and build real-world proof before pitching to anyone. And if the show doesn’t work? You can learn, pivot, and try again with much lower risk.

For smaller production companies, this can also be a much more affordable way to develop content. With a budget of even €50,000 or less, you can produce a mini version of your idea, share it online, and get actual data and reactions. That’s a much better starting point than a PDF pitch deck alone.

We’ve already seen great examples of this. Blue Therapy began on YouTube before transitioning to Channel 4.0 and later Netflix. Red Bull also develops lots of its formats this way, using YouTube to test and grow shows before taking them further. These aren’t just lucky cases - they’re part of a much bigger shift in how the industry works.

“If you can walk into a meeting with a concept that already has a following, views, and engagement, you’re not just asking someone to take a chance - you’re showing them that it already works”

Another important thing is ownership. When you develop your own IP this way, you keep creative control. That’s something especially valuable for companies like ours, who want to build long-term brands around our shows, not just sell ideas and lose them.

For me and my team, this strategy is key as we develop international formats - especially ones that mix styles, like K-pop-inspired talent shows and dating competition hybrids.

These shows need to connect with young, global audiences. Social media is the perfect space to test what works e.g. viral trends, how cast can capture attention on socials, how to create an authentic tone etc, You can learn so much by simply watching how people respond.

Engaging & addressing audiences

Over the years, we have been involved with creating, trialling and executing ideas and formats on YouTube. In an experimental sense; this has been a way of testing out concepts but it’s also taught us how to engage audiences.

We have successfully helped grow a YouTube following for content such as Pongfinity, which attracted millions of views with clips of table tennis challenges.

YouTube was the perfect platform to test out short-form ping pong challenges, and our learnings from helping support the creation of this profile was invaluable. From the creative set-ups and consistency of the posts to editing, it was a brilliant way to test a new unscripted format with an audience and grow and develop the strategy with each new video.

Of course, traditional broadcasters and platforms still play a huge role, but I believe the strongest pitches now start online.

If you can walk into a meeting with a concept that already has a following, views, and engagement, you’re not just asking someone to take a chance. You’re showing them that it already works.

It’s a route we are actively following. It’s faster, smarter, and gives producers more control. For anyone trying to create something new, YouTube isn’t just a place to post content, it’s where ideas are born.

Salla Kozma is managing director and executive producer at Pig and Horse Productions