How is it that today, we are addicted to Reality TV? Brilliant marketing strategy has caused us to watch other people’s everyday lives. Television used to be an escape from reality, but today people will let cameras in their house and do crazy things just to Get Talked About!
Let’s take a look at two of television’s most popular reality shows and look at why they are popular and the difference in their marketing strategy.
The first show is the one everyone is talking about: “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo!” Oh my goodness, this show is a train wreck! It is the story of a self-proclaimed redneck family from rural Georgia that is very supportive of their youngest daughter’s passion for Glitz Pageants.
The family was discovered during the shooting of another reality show, “Toddlers in Tiaras.”
The marketing strategy of this show is quite simple. Put the camera on this family in situations that most Glitz pageant girls go through and see how they naturally respond. Then shoot the other aspects of their lives which is anything but the lifestyle of a pageant family.
The natural tension results in, even though I hate to admit it, an entertaining show.
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo really has no intentional marketing strategy when putting the show together other than promoting this families antics in order to get more viewers.
The next show I will talk about is truly a smart use of marketing strategy woven into a television show that uses the eccentricities of a family that has built one of the biggest game call empires in the world. Duck Call Dynasty is a very carefully crafted show that has at its core the sole purpose of promoting their Duck Master duck call business.
If you haven’t seen the show it is set with a family portrayed as backward rednecks that have suddenly come into money as Duck Master has grown under the leadership of the oldest son Willie Robertson. A little research shows that he got an MBA from the University of Alabama. His father who founded the company before him, was the starting quarterback at Louisiana Tech in front of Terry Bradshaw.
This family is full of characters and very funny country wisdom which they are more than willing to share throughout the show. The scenes are carefully shot to make the family seem more backwoods than they really are. However, their wives that look like fashion models give them away to the careful viewer.
Both Shows are extremely successful, and they have definitely found a way to Get Talked About. The difference is the reason behind the marketing strategy of both shows.
Honey Boo Boo is a self- contained marketing piece with the goal of selling advertising on their show making money for the family, producers, and the network.
Duck Dynasty has a two-fold marketing strategy. They obviously want to grow viewership, but the main thrust is to build their Duck Commander business. I would not be surprised to see a spin-off show that will soon advertise their Buck Commander business in coming seasons.
Do you have a clear marketing Strategy for your business?
