TV Channels are the New Website.
Twenty-some years ago I sat in front of the CEO of a major brand (now CEO of another major brand) attempting to explain to him WHY his company needed one of those newfangled things called a “website,” for $10,000.
“Seriously, what the f**k do we need one of those for?” he asked, “Our demographic is housewives and mothers, they don’t go on the Internet, they watch television.”
Needless to say, no sale.
Twenty-some years later, I recently found myself sitting in front of the same CEO (now CEO of another major brand, same demographic) about to explain to him WHY his company needs one of these newfangled things called a “Roku Channel.”
So much has changed over the years that I was now expecting him to tell me the exact opposite; that housewives and mothers don’t watch television anymore, that all they do is sit around on the Internet and Facebook or play Candy Crush all day.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he went on to tell me how he wished he would have invested in a website way back when I first approached him about it, and how he (they) missed the boat on that one, and that because they didn’t take the Internet seriously back then, they were late to the game and it ultimately cost them millions in lost customers, brand loyalists, and/or dollars — not to mention, it probably cost him his job.
He agreed with me that Connected TV is like the Internet all over again, but instead of text and images, it’s all about video now. He went on to tell me his company has invested millions in video content — not just advertisements and commercials, but in quality, compelling content designed to:
- Build brand awareness,
- Create brand value,
- Change consumer perception, and
- Drive brand loyalty — and ultimately, sales.
Problem is, he said, they have ALL this great video, and nothing to do with it: running the content on their website or mobile apps only serves current brand believers but doesn’t do much to create new ones, and it only seems to get “lost” on YouTube and other Internet video sites. It’s informative, but it’s not paid advertising, so television channels don’t want it, and it’s not feature film or even short films, so places like Netflix or Hulu certainly aren’t interested.
Bottom line, they spent a fortune developing “brandvertainment,” and now they have nowhere to show it, save for a few paid, online outlets, including a promo on Twitter that so far seemed promising, but, he said, there has to be more…
So, imagine his delight, he said, when I reached out to talk about developing a Connected Television presence for them on Roku and the other platforms. This time around, he said, he understands emerging media and the need to take chances on it, and together, we concluded that TV channels are the new website.
It only makes sense, since that’s where the market is going. We (as consumers) seem to have forgotten about TV for a while as the Internet grew, and then for another while as screens got smaller and smaller. But recently, in the past couple of years, something happened — TV came back!
Televisions are selling like crazy again and the screens get bigger and bigger, and the quality gets better and better, and they can do more and more as more apps and tech are integrated into them. No one wants to sit around a laptop or hunched over a tiny mobile device to watch their favorite movies or TV shows, or to watch documentaries, or even “brandvertainment” for that matter, any more. They want to enjoy it all on the Big Screen, from the comfort of the sofa or recliner — with their mobile device in hand, or their tablet or laptop on their lap.
The television screen is once again the most popular screen in the house. Not just for housewives and mothers, but for everyone — and now if you want to reach them, you’re going to need more than just a website, and you’re going to need more than an app, and more than Google, and more than Twitter and Facebook and other social media:
To reach the consumer of 2016 and beyond, you’re going to need a Connected Television channel, too.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that today a custom, professionally-developed Connected TV channel on Roku and other platforms can cost you much less than you probably paid (or would pay) for a comparably-designed website.
All that said, if a Connected Television isn’t yet a part of your brand’s overall advertising, marketing and branding strategy, guess what? You’re already missing the boat (again).
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Phil Autelitano is Founder/CEO of Mediarazzi, an emerging media company specializing in TV channel development and content monetization for Connected TV platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, as well as content distribution to Netflix, Amazon Instant and Hulu. He can be reached at phil@mediarazzi.com
@PhilAutelitano
