MIP London 2026: Affinity Is the Diagnosis. Durability Is the Strategy.

ENGINE ROOM | MARKET ANALYSIS

Editor’s Note

Engine Room examines how IP is structured before it is distributed. MIP London 2026 highlighted a market where audience behaviour has matured and where new models of value creation are emerging. The strategic question is what that means for how IP is designed upstream.

Talent as the Shortcut: How Community-led IP Scale across Platforms

At MIP London 2026, the conversation reflected a market focused less on disruption and more on design. Audience behaviour has now fully converged across streaming, social and creator ecosystems, reshaping how content is discovered, consumed and valued.

The strategic focus has moved beyond distribution toward durability. The question is no longer how IP launches, but how it endures - structurally, commercially and culturally. As this shift takes hold, some are describing the environment as an “Affinity Economy,” where loyalty and repeat engagement drive outcomes. But affinity is the diagnosis. Durability is the strategy.

Behaviour Has Converged

Recent Nielsen reporting shows streaming accounting for roughly half of total television usage in the United States. In the UK, Ofcom has highlighted the continued growth of YouTube viewing on connected television screens, particularly among younger demographics.

For audiences under 40, streaming and social platforms operate within a unified behavioural ecosystem. Vertical and horizontal formats coexist. Creator led programming and commissioned series sit side by side, often within the same interface.

From a consumer perspective, boundaries between platform and channel are increasingly seamless. This convergence creates opportunity for IP models built around portability, layered monetisation and long term value creation.

Affinity as Market Diagnosis

At MIP London, media analyst Evan Shapiro described the current environment as the rise of the “Affinity Economy” a market in which loyalty, repeat engagement and community depth increasingly determine long term value

The framing reflects broader economic patterns. Digital advertising spend continues to concentrate around platforms where engagement is measurable and attribution is clear. Subscriber ecosystems are increasingly shaped by retention dynamics as much as acquisition.

Evan Shapiro - Affinity Economy

Reach remains powerful. The strategic question raised throughout the market was how IP can be intentionally designed to capture and sustain that affinity.

The Question: What Makes IP Durable?

One of the Headliner sessions, Talent as the Shortcut: How Community Led IP Scales Across Platforms, centred on durability as a structural advantage, moderated by Athena Witter, Founder, Engine Pop.

On stage were Julie Bogaert, Head of Creator Partnerships EMEA at Snap Inc.; Saruul Krause Jentsch, Head of Podcasts, Central and Western Europe at Spotify; and Tobias Schiwek, CEO of We Are Era.

Talent as the Shortcut: How Community-Led IP Scales Across Platforms, Engine Pop, Snap In, Spotify, We Are Era

From Snap’s perspective, creators increasingly operate across multiple surfaces simultaneously. Platform tools may drive discovery, but value strengthens when audiences follow a creator beyond a single algorithmic environment.

Spotify highlighted complementary dynamics within audio and long form formats, where habitual engagement reinforces loyalty. Durability is supported when content becomes embedded within routine listening behaviour.

We Are Era approached the question from a studio perspective. Creator led IP, when structured intentionally, can function as a franchise business rather than a single format. Portability across platforms enhances resilience.

Across platform, audio and studio viewpoints, a shared principle emerged. Discovery may originate within one ecosystem. Enduring value compounds when IP is designed to travel.

From Monetisation to Architecture

Investment patterns across international markets continue to diversify. Mid range formats and creator native productions are attracting increased commercial attention. Layered monetisation across advertising, subscription, licensing, commerce and live experiences is becoming embedded within development strategy.

When commercial architecture is considered alongside creative development, IP retains flexibility across platforms and revenue streams. Durability begins upstream.

From a structural perspective, durability can be examined through a simple question:

If a property disappeared tomorrow, would its community rebuild it?

The question shifts focus away from reach and toward embedded loyalty.

If the answer is yes, the IP has developed structural gravity — an audience relationship strong enough to travel across formats, platforms and commercial environments.

If the answer is uncertain, the property may still rely primarily on distribution rather than community depth.

Durability can therefore be assessed through design:

• Does the IP travel without losing narrative coherence?

• Does monetisation feel additive to the audience relationship?

• Does engagement convert into repeat behaviour?

• Does archive retain relevance when reintroduced?

• Would community migrate across platforms?

These are not promotional considerations. They are structural design decisions made early in development.

Designing for the Next Phase

The “Affinity Economy” describes a maturing demand environment. The opportunity now lies in intentional supply side design.

As audiences continue to move seamlessly between streaming and social, often on the same screen, IP built for portability, layered monetisation and community depth is positioned for long term value creation.

MIP London 2026 underscored a market evolving from visibility toward sustainability. Affinity may describe the environment. Durability defines the strategy. Durability is designed upstream