i)       What are the latest trends and movements?

ii)    Identify things redefining the field (conglomeration, legislation, scandals, etc.)

iii) Key legal issues

iv)   New technologies arriving on the scene

v)      Use categories that will be useful from a producer’s perspective

 

Trends that I’ve noticed

“Message center” graphics (above channel logo) during programming.

Vertical promotion to show that evening

Horizontal promotion to show later in the week/month

Unique sound design.

Creating a handful of soundtracks or sfx to be used in all promotional spots to encourage and solidify the channel environment (earcons).

Theatrical premiere promotion

New series launch spots have become more and more movie-like and filmic over the past few years.  Not always full of show content from the pilot episode, but rather, highly produced/stylized shoots for

 

Snipes

increased online promotions

increased out of home promotion (conan blimp) (Billboards, Bus stops, etc)

 

 

 

 

“Message center” graphics (above channel logo) during programming. 

 

 

Animated Lower-thirds: 

Recently, many networks have turned to on-screen graphics to create additional frequency within their promotional campaigns.  Traditional promos run the risk of not being seen by viewers who record a TV show on their DVRs and fast-forward through the commercial breaks.  Animated lower-thirds try to bust that pattern by getting traditional tune-in information to the viewer through non-traditional means.  The term "lower-third" has become a catch-all phrase for graphics running over the bottom portion of the TV screen.  This can include sub-titles over a show, locational graphics, or in our case here, graphics promoting another show in a network's portfolio.  Rather than using just a static pop-up graphic, networks have started animating these lower-thirds to catch the viewer's eye and capitalize on their interruptive powers.  Like a small child being distracted by a shiny object, viewers are drawn to animated lower-thirds as they tend to break up and interrupt the traditional viewing experience.  They can feature images from the show they are promoting, sound bytes, and even video clips.  Below is a collection of animated lower-thirds from the 2008 television season.

 

(video from Lee Hunt Best Practices)

 

 

"Theatrical" Premiere promotion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaser Promotion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episodic Promotion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General/Generic support promotion:

 

 

 

 

Season Line-up Promotion:

 

 

 

IDs/Image Campaigns:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Legal Issues:

 

KidVid Regulations:  

As part of the Children’s Television Act (CTA), Congress imposed requirements related to children’s television programming.  In addition to requiring a cable and broadcast networks to air a certain amount of “educational” programming each week, Congress severely limited the amount of commercial content that can air during children’s programming.  The CTA mandated that no more than 10.5 minutes of commercial content per hour on weekends, and no more than 12 minutes per hour on weekdays, could air.  These were firm numbers, down to the second and even the frame.  10 minutes 30 seconds and 1 frame could land a network in hot water with the FCC and face penalties and fines of up to $8,000.  The government was not joking around when they passed the CTA.

 

What does this have to do with on-air promotion?

 

Beyond limiting commercial time, networks are also forced to differentiate commercial content from programming content, so much that the beginning or end of a show segment could not be immediately adjacent to any commercial spot.  To get around this issue, networks turned to their on-air promos departments to create unique channel identification spots to separate the shows from advertisers.  These promo spots were unique, and unlike traditional promos, could not feature any form non-programming advertising.  Say What??  This means, that the channel IDs could not have any mention of a product or a website, even if it belonged to the station itself.  These promo bumpers couldn’t only contain tune-in information for programming on the channel.

 

This allowed for promotions departments to get creative with their inventory.  Stations would use their bumpers to create a unique channel brand for their young viewers, with catchy tunes and memorable images.  Some of these early IDs were so memorable; I bet you even still remember some to this day.  How about the old Nickelodeon IDs from back in the 1990s, or the ABC Saturday morning cartoon bumpers, “After these messages, we’ll be riiiiiight back.”

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music license fees become a legal issue when the right clearance is not obtained.

Promo's for sports teams and leagues could run into issues with showing certain logos?

 

New technology 

How will 3D impact on-air promotion branding?

Social networks have become a great portal for on air promo and branding. Shows that once only had a small page on the networks website now have there own facebook page connecting directly with fans.

 

 

Live From a Favorite TV Show: Items Branded With It

o http://nyti.ms/haTGzk

Broadcast networks continue to extend their brand with new merchandising products. These products are not only extensions of shows or personalities, but of the network itself. E! network recently launched products based on its popular series Live from the Red Carpet.  Capitalizing on their exclusive coverage of red carpet events, primarily from Award shows.

 

“The mother ship is the channel, but we’re also online, on mobile and in the social space,” she added, because “we want to complete the experience for our fans and keep delivering on it in any platform we can.” –President of Marketing, Suzanne Kolb for E!. 

 

Merchandise branded around a network has become a trend and continues to be a successful marketing tactic.