Stream.Digital in partnership with Creative Media Works, operating as BBM Messenger, today announced the launch of STAGE360 Music, a mobile music and content service. The service, a first of its kind in South Africa, is aimed at growing BBM Messenger’s monthly active users particularly within the young, urban demographic.

Matthew Talbot, CEO of Creative Media Works, the company which operates and runs BBM Messenger globally said that the launch of STAGE360 Music comes at a time when the role of messaging platforms in consumer and business life is set to grow exponentially. “As part of the ongoing roll out of the new and improved app, BBM Messenger will offer a content ecosystem over and above the core chat experience and drive engagement within its Discover menu and Channels.”

BBM Discover is a high-valued space within BBM Messenger, designed for high impact and reach while giving partners access to the power of social chat. STAGE360 Music sits as an icon within BBM Discover’s existing ecosystem of content and services, accompanying categories such as News, DiscoverTV (soccer, kids, life, planet, animals, extreme, fitness, food, cars), Football365 (Live Scores), Channels, Rewards (win airtime), Subscriptions, Stickers, Games and many more to come.

“This service takes into account the evolution of social media and the popularity of messaging apps as the go-to place in the digital environment. STAGE360 Music is a particular example of how we can give potential artists the tools, functionality and features to create a profile, share their music, and engage with their fans in an organic social environment,” Talbot explained.

The service is integrated into BBM Messenger using seamless user sign-in with both initial authentication and ongoing authentication to the user’s ID. Enriched social experiences are then delivered through personalisation of content and social sharing within the service. Stream.Digital, a division of Mortimer Harvey (Pty) Ltd, provides a direct-to-market digital video streaming platform with live and on-demand video content delivery to mobile and web. In addition, the service offers a Programmatic Channel Post functionality where users can manage and create channel posts directly via a programmatic interface.

STAGE360 and BBM Discover’s broader range of services demonstrates how messaging platforms can be harnessed to develop new ways of consuming, sharing and creating content. It offers users a new tool to easily navigate and find their preferred content within the BBM Channel.

“Music is just the first of the STAGE360 categories that BBM Messenger intends to launch. The goal is to create other categories that will fall under the 360 service such as comedy, short film and fashion,” says Talbot.