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“What [advertisers] buy are the services of audiences with predictable specifications which pay attention in predictable numbers and at particular times to a particular means of communication [sic] in particular market areas.  As collectivities these audiences are commodities.  As commodities they are dealt with in markets by producers and buyers (the latter being advertisers).  The audience commodities bear specifications known in the business as “the demographics.” The specifications for the audience commodities include age, sex, income level, family composition, urban or rural location, ethnic character, ownership of home, automobile, credit card statues and social class.”

- Dallas Smythe [via: Radio Active: Advertising and Consumer Activism by: Kathy M. Newman]

Above are Oxygen and Bravo’s subway ads for the 2009 upfronts. These pictures were taken at the 49th station along the R line, which makes sense for the location since Media:Edge and MediaVest offices are nearby.  However, last year, similar Bravo and Oxygen upfront ads were plastered all over New York City.  These two pictures (click HERE and HERE) were taken in Forest Hills, Queens.  This picture was taken at the 116th St. A train station in Harlem.  Neither neighborhood is a hub of media insiders, which raises the question, why would networks display ads that are so obviously industry specific in such a public arena?  Granted New York is the advertising capital of the world, but it’s a bit unusual to see posters touting high engagement and ROI occupying the same space as ads for movies, radio stations and cheap legal advice.  

I don’t think people generally like viewing themselves as rating points or pawns in a greater marketing scheme, but the 2008 Bravo and Oxygen upfront ads seem to frame consumerism in an empowering way.  Although geared towards planners and buyers, the posters also help the public identify themselves and define their media habits.  Being described as “engaged” and “cable’s best audience” does wonders for a viewer’s self-esteem and serves to add a sort of creditability to their taste in television.

Although, only strategically limited to a few subway stations near ad agencies, the 2009 were still readily visible by many non-industry straphangers.  Given the current economic climate, I really didn’t think Bravo and Oxygen would run this type of campaign this year, but I guess “affluencers, trenders, spenders, and recommenders” don’t know the meaning of the word downsize.

The economy was a common theme during the 2009 upfront with networks suggesting ways advertisers could spend their ad dollars more efficiently.  IFC and Sundance Channel coined the term “Indienomics,” which they define as, “The new branch of knowledge concerned with reaching consumers in a more effective way. Developed as a reaction to conventional marketing and the chaos of a changing media landscape” (via: indienomics.com).  Now, there is nothing new in their identifying audience fragmentation-it’s a problem all networks must deal with.  

The term “Indienomics” serves several purposes, the most obvious of which is its reference to the economy.  It also emphasizes to the type of programming IFC and Sundance offer, (indie films) but more importantly, it defines their audience as free-willed INDIEviduals that play by their own rules.  They are selling advertisers a lifestyle, that’s not only elusive, but influential and therefore extremely valuable.  A post explaining Indienomics uses “chaos theory” to describe the current state of the media industry and states, “Under this new order, power is held not by industry or state, but by billions and billions of individuals.”  Indienomics, however, represents the industry’s new business model and it the solution to “turn chaos into wealth.”  Framing the television industry to seem like it’s in a state of near anarchy is a very persuasive approach.  The notion that entertainment choices are limitless must be scary for advertisers, but the networks’ “Customized Partner Solutions” ensures that audiences can be reached across any media platform.  

One particular rhetorical strategy that stuck out to me was IFC and Sundance identifying their audience as a community.  This terminology is particularly effective because their community is further defined as “uber-influencers” and trend setters. While Bravo and Oxygen have described their audience as influential, trend-setting recommenders, IFC and Sundance’s use of the word “community” implies a certain natural, conversational, word-of-mouth way of promoting a brand.  In addition, “community” is probably also used to remind advertisers of the networks’ ability reach beyond the commercial pod and into social media networks.  

One of the strategies listed in the Indienomics research report emphasized the networks’ ability to get audience members to trust, recommend and purchase products promoted on IFC and Sundance significantly more so than any other competing network.  This is mostly helped by audience members perceiving IFC and Sundance as avant-garde, idiosyncratic and an alternative to mainstream entertainment.  Any brand that advertises on IFC or Sundance will most likely be considered innovative, cultural and liberal because of its support of independent filmmakers and visionaries.  To many viewers, IFC and Sundance represent a certain rebellious lifestyle that doesn’t cater to corporate agendas and quarterly earnings expectations.  

Of course this is a myth, evidenced by the Indienomics description concluding with the following statement:

“We are in the midst of one of the biggest economy crisis in the history of this country. Aren’t you feeling better already, knowing that there is a customer at the end of the tunnel…..we just need to find him/her, cater to them, because if they will trust us, their friends will as well.”

A lot of networks have come up with catchy names to help sell their audience-for Bravo, it’s “Affluencers;” and for Oxygen, it’s “Generation O.”  History Channel, in association with it’s parent company A&E Television Networks, has labeled its audience “Type H.”  The ill-conceived name makes me think of Preparation H, but that’s beside the point.  In 2009, History dropped the “channel” from it’s name and focused on promoting it mostly male audience (70%) to advertisers.  The network identified four variations of Type H men, represented in the above banner ads.  

The above banners appeared on the New York Times website.  BBC America touts the $73,000 medium income of its audience.  While the animated banner ad mostly consists of text, the loop ends with the image of a hand holding a black credit card.  The card is labeled “platinum” to textually emphasize the strong buying power of BBC America’s audience.  The color of the credit card is another indication that BBC’s audience is wealthy.  Although the card is not labeled as an American Express Centurion Card, in popular culture, a black credit card has come to symbolize prestige, luxury and wealth.  

BBC America

ABC, a major broadcast network, does not cater to a niche audience and highlights its wide reach.  The network categorizes its audience as “Brand Buyers,” which is a rather general term and doesn’t appeal to any one specific type of advertisers.  ABC’s intent is probably to draw interest from marketers of all types of consumer goods.  It’s interesting that ABC noted its viewers watch commercials.  This is perhaps a subtle reminder that it is a broadcast network and some of it viewers do not have cable/DVR service and are not able to fast-forward through ads.