Social networks have become more effective marketing tools than traditional media, according to Fox Broadcasting’s VP of entertainment Kevin Reilly.
Speaking at the MIPCOM festival in Cannes, Reilly said using social networks to generate buzz ahead of show premieres has helped harness new audiences.
“Many of our promotional messages, and at times even the shows themselves, weren’t penetrating, so we decided that if we let our audience see a show before it premieres and before our marketing reaches critical mass, the power of the social networks can create loyalists who are committed to helping spreading the word,” he said. “These brand ambassadors can recruit audience in a far more convincing way than any campaign.”
“Many of our promotional messages, and at times even the shows themselves, weren’t penetrating, so we decided that if we let our audience see a show before it premieres and before our marketing reaches critical mass, the power of the social networks can create loyalists who are committed to helping spreading the word,” he said. “These brand ambassadors can recruit audience in a far more convincing way than any campaign.”
Fox trialled the technique for music comedy Glee (pictured), which it previewed on TV four months ahead of its premier. It received disappointing viewer ratings according to Reilly. “But the purpose was to light up the social networks,” he said. “We then streamed it on Hulu and released songs on iTunes for free to keep the chatter going. The series premiered as a bonafide hit, which I’m certain wouldn’t have been the case if we had marketed it in a more traditional way.”
It then trialled a similar technique with comedy New Girl, pre-releasing an episode on iTunes and video-on-demand before airing the pilot. “We had 2m downloads in the two weeks prior to airing, and word of mouth on Facebook and Twitter was extremely positive,” he said. “We spiked on viewer awareness and intend to view, and the show opened with the biggest comedy ratings Fox has had in 10 years.”
Reilly highlighted the increasingly important role of data in managing an increasingly complex and fragmented viewer landscape. “We have to think more creatively with data, both about how we manage it with our willing audience, and also managing the metadata in our video libraries,” he said.
He said media companies must mine data to help inform their strategies and increase viewer engagement. “Our content is the driver but from here on we will have to invite the audience to watch – it will become increasingly difficult to tell them what to watch.”
Reilly believes that after years of TV companies playing catch up to the proliferation of new digital technologies, this imbalance is beginning to readjust. “The future isn’t traditional TV or digital, it’s a feedback loop between the two,” he said. “After years of technology development and the endless quest for the next big thing, finally there’s some order restored in the universe. The next big thing is going to include the same old big thing – TV. For all the upheaval, the web in both content and advertising is showing its limitations, which reaffirms the value of premium TV content. There’s nothing better to drive global brands and build engagement with viewers than TV and a TV network. We’re no longer in a place where content gives way to technology, they need us and we need them.”
Artcile courtesy of NMA.co.uk
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