Bravo, You’re In
I am fascinated by the uproar about the transfer of the show Project Runway from the uber stylish Bravo to the more, um, subdued Lifetime (it premiered on the new channel last Thursday). According to the blogs, viewers were sure that the show would not be nearly as good on Lifetime as it was on Bravo. But while the channel has changed, the format, the hosts and the lingo will remain - so why was everyone so sure it would be bad? Because the Bravo network has developed an incredible brand around “drama” TV that is so bad it’s great, for young-minded, style-oriented viewers – while Lifetime’s for…well, I don’t really know – women who stay home on Saturday nights? (Even the name Lifetime sounds old!) Fans trusted the show coming from Bravo as curator. I’m inspired by Bravo’s ability to create this “in the know” persona for itself (even the logo suggests people are talking about it!). The most successful channels are brands – and while some are reaping the rewards of brilliantly managing this, those that don’t will be totally “out.”
August 26th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Location, location, location. Sure, you can put an uber-hip restaurant in a boring neighborhood — and it MIGHT turn the neighborhood around — but chances are it won’t work. Megan, I think you’re right that moving this show to the wrong network “neighborhood” could be its demise…
August 26th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
For me, it has lacked the NBC machine behind it to support, hype and promote. I had to be reminded by a friend at the last minute to re-set my DVR.
Plus PR practially made Bravo. The two are inextricably linked. For a show that had hit its peak a season or tow ago, this will probably be a bit of a lump
Measwhile, genius to add the Models of the Runway show! Those models have been an unused equity of PR since the begining.