“If you’re not paying for television, you’re not the customer, you’re the product”
“If you’re not paying for television, you’re not the customer,
you’re the product”
Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner (mother company of HBO)
Before…
Consumer Advertiser Network
“Shows are delivery
vehicles for advertising”
June Thomas, Slate.com
“The major networks all race to buy scripts and produce 10 to 20 pilots each on the same timeline, hustling
to get pilots made in the weeks before big annual presentations
to advertisers in the Spring, when they show off the ones they
have picked up for airing”
Amol Sharma and Keach Hagey, The Wall Street Journal
Now...
Consumer Advertiser Network
Subscriber Premium Cable Network
Subscriber Hulu, Netflix, Ono TV… Network, cable network
What if service providers want to become producers?
Marketing TV shows
Quality TV format
Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981-1987)
The X files (Fox, 1993-2002)
They lost interest in the family and aimed at:
1 hour long episodes Target audience 18-49: “low rating + right
viewers” Niche markets, smart spectators White collar workers willing to try new products
Marketing TV shows
Quality TV format
Oz (1997-2003) Sex and the city(1998-2004)
In the 1980s, with the advent of the VHS, HBO decided to produce its own content. By 2001, 30-40% of their programs were self-produced
28.7 million subscriber in the USA. 60 million worldwide
Premium Cable. Funded via subscribers. No advertising
1) FCC Regulations do not apply to them, 2) Advertisers cannot interfere
Sex, male frontal nudity, violence, bad language…
HBO
“It’s not TV, it’s HBO”
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
The social Buzz: the control of the cultural conversation
Marketing TV shows
Content Branding
1. Author branding2. Place branding3. Network branding
Marketing TV shows
Content Branding
Author Branding
David Simon
Joss Whedon
Alan Ball
Marketing TV shows
Content Branding
Place Branding
Nordic countries
UK
Marketing TV shows
Content Branding
Network Branding
Violence
Women
Sex
Social criticism
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
True Blood
http://yokedesign.com.au/blog/online-marketing-done-right-the-case-of-hbo-true-blood/
Phase 1. Generating intrigue
“The marketing campaign was set up as a prequel to the actual TV series and was started off by targeting some of the top horror bloggers in the U.S.
They all received anonymous packages by mail with ‘blood’ samples in them, accompanied by a cryptic message and a URL pointing to BloodCopy.com”
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 2. Expanding the campaign
“Passers by on the streets might have noticed the posters advertising a synthetic blood drink Tru Blood, only these advertisements were aimed at vampires, not humans”
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 3. Revealing the purpose
“traditional marketing campaign that exposed the real purpose behind all the buzz”
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 4. Maintaining interest
“Specifically, HBO, with the help of True Blood fans, created a full vampire universe around the show. The main element in their strategy has been a very active online presence, with special emphasis on encouraging fan-generated content”
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
Game of Thrones
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/03/game_of_thrones_how_hbo_and_showtime_make_money_despite_low_ratings_.2.html
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
Girls
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
Girls
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
Girls
Marketing TV shows
Advertising Campaigns
Girls
Marketing TV shows
New horizonsDigital Product
Placement
Estrella Galicia – ABC deal
Marketing TV shows
New horizonsDigital Product
Placement
Pros:
1. The advertiser can pre-visualize the narrative and the scene in order to select the most convenient spot
2. The TV show can vary its product placement depending on the country or target group
3. The negotiation process between the advertiser and the network can be prolonged until the airing of the episode
Marketing TV shows
New horizons
Celebrities, bloggers
and second screens