UPtv’s “GilMORE the Merrier” Makes Live Viewing Relevant

Pundits call the current plethora of programming access amp8220Peak TVamp8221 and some executives long for bygone days when their shows were only competing with everything on television at that moment not with the limitless buffet of options offered by new series and all the television libraries available streaming and ondemandamp160amp160According to UPtv Chief Marketing Officeramp160Scot Safon amp8220Peak TV isnamp8217t just about the new series itamp8217s about rediscovering and enjoying favorite shows in a new deeper wayamp160 Viewers donamp8217t care about when the episodes were shot amp8230 they just love the showsamp8221 amp160That is exactly why he is confident that at a time when viewers can pull up every episode of every series at will millions will nevertheless be tuned in toamp160UPtvamp160live for theamp160GilMORE The Merrier Bingeathonamp160during the week of ThanksgivingAnd just as motherdaughter characters Lorelai and Rory Gilmore played by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel pictured at top love watching television together families watching television together is a genuine pattern and is one reason that GilMORE the Merrier has steadily grown over the past three years as a programming stunt viewers anticipate and watch togetheramp160 amp8220Thanksgiving is a time when families reunite and a lot of times itamp8217s moms and daughters getting together againamp8221 Safon explainedamp160 amp8220Thereamp8217s a chance to do what their favorite guilty pleasure was years ago and thatamp8217s to watch Gilmore Girls together and bond over that and rediscover thatamp8221The initial impetus for the marathon in 2016 was that Netflix produced four new extended episodes wrapping up the original 153episode WBCW seriesamp160 Those episodes which featured the same cast and characters and which were penned by the original writing staff were hotly anticipated by fans amp160UPtv had the opportunity to catch fans up before they watched the new content by creating this weeklong social eventamp160 Sean Gunn who played Kirk Gleason on the show from 20002007 hosted that first marathon and the UPtv team timed the stunt to conclude at 3 am just before the new episodes which also included Gunn would appear on NetflixThe results were impressive for UPtv then in 2017 Yanic Truesdale who played Michel Gerard hosted and the momentum built delivering the networkamp8217s strongest week up to then in Adults 1849 and 2554 Also during last yearamp8217s GilMORE the Merrier the hashtag GilmoreTheMerrier trended in the US and received 417268893 million impressions on Twitter with a yearoveryear increase of impressions by 31Safon points to the enduring love fans have for the show as the reason the 153episode annual marathon works so well for the networkamp160 amp8220Itamp8217s an audacious idea and fans love itamp8221 he says amp160amp8220Gilmore takes over the network and it works beautifullyamp160 Thatamp8217s why weamp8217re bringing it back year after yearamp8221Advertisers seem to agree thereamp8217s heavy demand from key categories such as retail online retailers package goods and restaurants leading into the peak holiday buying seasonFor the viewers who love Gilmore Girls GilMORE the Merrier is their equivalent of Discovery Channelamp8217s Shark Week and UPtv with its commitment to uplifting programming like Gilmore Girls considers the stunt and the effort they put into making it special a gift to those fansThis year theyamp8217re bringing back the trivia questions that fans loved in years past and have secured another fanfavorite actor from the show to hostamp160 Scott Pattersonamp160pictured at right who played Luke proprietor of Lukeamp8217s Diner and serieslong loveinterest to Lorelai will be the face of the marathon even promoting his own brand of packaged coffee a case of life imitating art amp160Patterson said that he had a amp8220blastamp8221 filming with the UPtv crew and advised his fans to stock up on coffee to stay alertamp160In addition to all of that the network will be conducting a amp8220watch and winamp8221 sweepstakes in service of making this edition of the modernday television tradition even more attractive to live viewers amp160UPtv is also working with Etsy creators to produce highly customized pieces that any avid Gilmore Girls fan will appreciate for example a custompainted vintage leather jacket or a diorama of an iconic Stars Hollow locationFor viewers unfamiliar with Gilmore Girls the BingeaThon offers a chance to become accustomed with a show that offers the same kind of positive sharedviewing and family friendly television that UPtv is known for amp160The show was created by Amy ShermanPalladino who also created this yearamp8217s multiple Emmy Awardwinner The Marvelous Mrs Maisel amp160And while thereamp8217s a strong female following itamp8217s not just for women as proven by the popular podcast The Gilmore Guysamp8220Now more than ever itamp8217s important for TV networks to create experiences for fans and the shows they loveamp8221 Safron saidamp160 amp8220Itamp8217s a great time for marketers who want to be part of those experiencesamp160 Marketers should be looking for special things likeamp160GilMORE the Merrieramp160amp8211 the unique kind of nationwide shared fan experience that a linear television network can offer amp160No matter what other ways you can watchamp160Gilmore Girls thereamp8217s something special about being able to watch it live with other Gilmore fans watching in their homes across the countryamp8221Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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UPtv’s “GilMORE the Merrier” Makes Live Viewing Relevant

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Kathy Newberger

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UPtv’s “GilMORE the Merrier” Makes Live Viewing Relevant

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Kathy Newberger

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