Buying into American Idol Audience, Values and Selling Reality TV
In the beginning Survivor was the first of the new reality tv shows to start in 2000 American Idol began in 2002 (a copy of Britain s Got Talent) Idol began as a summer filler as networks were regularly losing share to cable television by the end of the second season 40 million watched the finale
by the end of the summer Idol was the hottest show on television Fox also formed alliances with AT&T wireless around texting and Coca-Cola around product placement texting in North America dramatically increased due to the show as many in 2002 had never texted and the show introduced them to that more people voted for Idol winners in 2004 than for the President
Idol as a Transmedia Franchise Massive popularity for the show Regular spin offs for contestants recordings movie (From Justin to Kelly -- yuck) many other versions of idol
So What? Why is it important? Besides its resounding popularity, Idol demonstrates a few key ideas in media audience Love Marks and Emotional Capital Zappers, Casuals and Loyals Audience Participation: Rock the Vote
A Changing World in the 1960s advertisers could reach 80% of American women with advertising during prime time on three networks now they would have to buy time on a hundred stations to reach the same audience
Love Marks and Emotional Capital We will use a diverse array of entertainment assets to break into people s hearts and minds. In that order...we re moving to ideas that elicit emotion and create connection.... Because the ideas which have always sat at the heart of the stories you ve told and the content you ve sold... are no longer just intellectual property, they re emotional capital. Coca Cola President Steven J. Heyer, 2003 Coke sees itself less as a bottler, more of an entertainment company
Love Marks Love marks are more powerful than traditional brands because they command love and respect of consumers Your Coke Story, Idol concerts by Coke Cokemusic.com Idol wants fans to feel the love (mark) and so does Coke and AT&T Idol gives the illusion that anyone can do it - WIlliam Hung most famously
The Law of 80/20 and loyals 80/20 rule - for most consumer products 80% of purchases are made by 20 % of consumer base Brand loyalty is really important (Otaku) Brand loyals spread the word
Zappers, Casuals and Loyals Zappers watch TV Loyals watch fewer hours but watch shows that best satisfy their interest Casuals are in between Loyals have a much higher rate of brand recall and specific ads during their shows
Idol is designed to appeal to all three groups the repetitive nature, the cliffhangers, the voting at the end recaps make it accessible to casual fans, so as it goes on, more and more casuals are drawn in Idol was not the first talent show, but the first to take a whole season, viewers get to know the contestants and watch many crash and burn
Rock the Vote Verizon remarked a 7% increase in phone calls (100 million) after each Tuesday Idol show Aiken vs. Studdard controversy over texts and busy signals for phone calls (24 million votes cast)
Idol s Impact Often imitated, never duplicated (The One, Rock Star, America s Got Talent) Theme park in Disney careers of many artists Ford, AT&T, Coke, itunes $630,000 for a commercial Popularity of Rock Band, Guitar Hero and numerous Karaoke programs
Show s Values