“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

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