AMC Networks’ Upfront Strategy: It’s Not Peak TV, Its Off-Peak TV

amp8220This is the first time that we are doing a large event across all five of our networksamp8221 Collins said amp8220In the past couple of years weamp8217ve done targeted dinners with agency heads but we thought the time was right to come out and talk about all of our brandsamp160 One of the reasons is two years ago BBC America joined us amp160and we never actually stood in front of our client group to celebrate that as well as all of these incredibly strong and defined channels that we representamp8220In all honesty weamp8217re going to be talking about content that really mattersamp8221 he continued referring to programming in the collective AMC Networks groupamp160 amp8220Itamp8217s attracting audiences that are not just fansamp160They are really passionate beyond the norm and get involved in our storytelling and with our characters in unique ways That really is peppered across all of the brands Together itamp8217s a pretty palpable sales propositionamp8221 The event itself he said is going to be large but intimate enough for guests to sit and talk with talent from shows on all of the companyamp8217s networksThe messaging Collins and the others repeatedly emphasized will be all about the high quality of the original series on various AMC Networks which in most cases has resulted in high ratings among the prized 1849 demographicamp8220Our actual share of that audience is growingamp8221 noted Carrollamp160 amp8220Our companyamp8217s history is developing and programming high quality scripted contentamp160 We continue to believe it is the No 1 source of engagement for consumers amp160In terms of audience share we are the No 1 purveyors of high quality dramatic scripted content on ad supported cable actually by quite a bit amp160We continue to up the investment not only in AMC but also in Sundance and now in BBC Americaamp8221amp160 Carroll singled out three successful BBC America series Thriving import Doctor Who domestic hit Orphan Black and AMC Studiosamp8217 own Dirk Gently39s Holistic Detective AgencyCollier pointed to AMCamp8217s success with its original dramas among adults 1849 and Live 3 viewingamp160 Across all of adsupported cable he said AMC has 34 percent of that marketplace making it a very strong No 1amp160 amp8220If you were to drop The Walking Dead from that we would still have the No 1 share in that demoamp8221 he declaredamp160 amp8220At a time when advertisers are really clamoring for the good stuff the stuff they can count on it leads us to believe that differentiating by going back to an emphasis on content is actually more relevant than ever beforeamp160 A lot of people are doing it well but despite all the talk of peak TV itamp8217s just not the same everywhereamp8221amp8220Thereamp8217s less of it for ad buyersamp8221 Collins assertedamp160 amp8220The doubledigit growth in original content hours has mainly happened in commercialfree formats streaming services and pay TV amp160If youamp8217re an ad buyer and you want to reach engaged consumers thatamp8217s a very precious resourceamp160 If you want to look at shows that are critically acclaimed awardwinning and also programmed to a big audience thereamp8217s an even smaller place to goamp8220So for those buyers itamp8217s not even Peak TVamp8221 he said amp8220Itamp8217s OffPeak TVamp8221amp8220With The Walking Dead there is a scale that is just not available anywhere elseamp8221 Collier said of AMCamp8217s prized performeramp160 amp8220Itamp8217s the No 1 show in television for the 5th yearamp160Thatamp8217s an old storyamp160But if you look at the gap between No 1 and No 2 given the trends over the last five years you probably wouldnamp8217t guess that the gap has widenedamp160 When Theamp160Walking Dead was No 1 in 201213 for the first time we were one percent bigger than The Big Bang Theoryamp160 Now the gap between us and No 2 Empire in the demo is 45 percentquotWhen reminded that ratings for The Walking Dead aren39t what they used to be even though the show still sits atop all others among the viewers most sought after by advertisers Collier replied amp8220Actually I think the franchise really hasnamp8217t declined at all People often change the way they view but it is still an urgent program for the vast majority of its audience and that is a distinction in this marketplace as wellamp8221amp8220My guess is if we go through television history and we see a show that is No 1 by a wide margin in season eight that show will not be expanding its lead over No 2amp8221 Carroll suggestedamp160 amp8220The gap will be closing closing closing amp160I think The Walking Dead is in uncharted territoryamp8221When asked how heamp160thought the overall market would change this year Collins replied amp8220A couple of weeks back I probably would have said it will be spending levels similar to last year probably maybe a little slower pace amp160But from the agency folks Iamp8217ve been talking to I think whatamp8217s happened with some ads running on digital content they would never want to run in is causing concerns that might just impact some of the budgets shifting here and there Itamp8217s one of the reasons weamp8217re starting off with content That was the plan to celebrate what we are known for content that really differentiates and breaks out and creates fan engagementamp160That has been highlighted by whatamp8217s been happening of lateamp8221All things considered Collins thinks the upcoming market amp8220will be similar to last year and has the potential to be stronger The great thing for us is that we tend to be outliers in the marketplaceamp160The marketplace tends to reward success and we do have the kind of content that people like to do creative executions with short form content around amp160All of our brands are really adept at creating that stickiness between our brand essence and a clientamp8217samp8221amp8220We have clients doing custom creative for Walking Dead Talking Dead Fear the Walking Dead Better Call Saul and a lot of the others and you realize weamp8217re the place a lot of people launch their campaignsamp8221 Collier concluded amp8220Thatamp8217s because of our quality and scaleamp8221Image at top Bob Odenkirk inamp160Better Call SaulClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this article are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggersamp160

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AMC Networks’ Upfront Strategy: It’s Not Peak TV, Its Off-Peak TV

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Ed Martin

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AMC Networks’ Upfront Strategy: It’s Not Peak TV, Its Off-Peak TV

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