In brand clout,
broadcast still rules
Big Four networks are tops in the minds of viewers
By Diego Vasquez
May 17, 2011
ABC is not the top-rated broadcast network, not even close. It trails No. 2 CBS by half a point and leader Fox by double that. Yet in terms of effective branding, ABC is tops. A new study from Solutions Research Group (SRG) finds that the network ranks first in terms of must-keep networks; that is, respondents list ABC at the top of the list of nets they could not live without. In fact, despite all the talk about broadcast's decline and cable's rise, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC ranked first through fourth among respondents ages 12 and over. There were slight variances between demographics, but broadcast was consistently tops. The study notes that MTV saw a huge jump this year, thanks to the wildly popular "Jersey Shore." Food Network also jumped a number of spots. Kaan Yigit, study director for syndicated studies published by SRG, talks to Media Life about what makes a good TV brand, the value media people put on brands, and the power of "Jersey Shore."
What did you find most interesting or most surprising about this study?
A number of niche brands from a few years ago are now broadly appealing to a large, general demographic. The best example is Food Network.
Ten years ago, it only appealed to foodies or those with an interest in cooking and skewed a lot more female. Now it’s the No. 7 brand in America overall, next to the four [broadcast] networks, ESPN and Discovery. Among males 18-49, it was ranked No. 14 in 2007 and now it’s No. 8, ahead of USA or HBO.
Another interesting one is History; it’s always been strong among men but now it’s trending up among women 25-54 as well (up from No. 16 in 2007 to No. 11 in 2011).
The other interesting thing we find year over year is how some brands are seen as essential to households over and above what the Nielsen ratings would suggest. For example, Disney is the top “must-keep” cable brand for women 18-49 ahead of Discovery or HBO.
Clearly this is a demographic with a high number of children in the house, and this is a big driver of importance.
What's the most important thing media buyers and planners can learn from it?
Of course show ratings and brands are important, but TV brands represent a shorthand for what consumers like and find comfortable. With so many brands vying for the consumer’s attention, it’s a big deal to make it to any kind of a shortlist.
We think both environment and brand engagement are important qualitative metrics in addition to individual show ratings. Ratings count how many people were in front of the TV when a particular show was on, not if they were paying attention to what they were watching or to the commercial breaks. Generally, strong brand environments create higher engagement not just with the programs but with ads.
And in a world where people watch TV with laptops and mobile devices ready to tune in or tune out, engagement helps determine which way they will go.
ABC was the No. 1 "must-keep" brand. Is this different from past studies? Why was it able to narrowly edge the other broadcast networks?
ABC was No. 1 for three of the past four studies (based on persons 12-plus in our study). Last year CBS edged out ABC and this year ABC is back on top.
When people are choosing their shortlist, they are not really voting for one show per se but a composite of shows and recent impressions for themselves and others in their households.
While we don’t ask why people choose what they choose, it’s possible that ABC is perceived to have more variety of shows that resonate with different demographics and interests and therefore receive more votes overall even if the individual shows may not always top the ratings charts.
Have any of the Big Four networks seen major gains or losses in the percentage of people who say they are a "must keep" in the years you've been doing the study? Why?
Despite putting most of their prime content online – or perhaps because of it – the Big Four are still essential to many American consumers.
But this said, the number who include at least one major network in their set of "must keep" channels is down to 77 percent in 2011 from 83 percent in 2007. The percentage including at least two networks is now 51 percent, down 9 points from its benchmark level of 60 percent in 2007.
About two-thirds of this decline is really losses to cable networks--everything from Food to Syfy to USA, Lifetime and TNT--the list goes on--is stronger year-over-year. In fact, the top 30 cable brands have increased their 'must-keep' percentage over our tracking period.
A yellow flag as well is the aging of the network audience: Eighty-four percent of 50-plus Americans include at least one network as part of their essential channels, but the comparable number is 68 percent when you look at those in their 20s.
What do the highest-ranking cable networks have in common? What about their brands makes them stand out?
Despite the fact that they are specialized, they appeal to a large cross-section of viewers and generally have appeal to more than one person in the household--ESPN, Discovery, Food, USA, TNT, Disney, Comedy Central, etc., all have this in common, for example. And when you hear the name, you immediately know the kinds of programs to expect on these channels.
In an increasingly fragmented environment of ever-increasing choices and platforms, the task of creating a small, optimum bundle forces the consumer to really focus on what’s important to them as well as others in the household. Because of this, "Must Keep TV" results in a powerful brand strength metric.
You note that MTV jumped notably, driven by the popularity of "Jersey Shore." Is it common for one show to give such a big lift, or does that say more about "Shore" itself?
What we noticed is that a half- or a one-season success for one show does not affect our rankings. What does affect the rankings is sustained ratings success by three or four shows/series over a period of time, or a "monster hit" that sustains itself for a few seasons.
"Jersey Shore" is that monster hit without a question--it became a cultural phenomenon and put MTV back on the map.
In the 2007-2009 period MTV languished outside of the top 30, and we thought it no longer had the cultural resonance it once had. Two years and a big hit later, it's No. 11 in 18-34s, up from No. 22.
Why did Food Network get such a big boost among adults 18-34?
Food is culturally more relevant than ever for a whole host of reasons. And look at what's on the Food Network, it's not your grandma's soup recipes but young dynamic chefs, celebrities and shows that showcase the art and fun of food.
As well, you are seeing a good mix of stalwarts like Rachael Ray and Alton Brown, as well as newcomers like Aaron Sanchez, and guys with strong star power like Guy Fieri with younger appeal all on the same schedule. So there is something for everyone.
Did you see many differences in what networks people want to keep between different ethnic groups? Why or why not?
There were differences. When we look at African American or English-speaking Hispanic households, we have to keep in mind that we are looking at relatively younger demographics as well.
For example, the median age of Hispanic Americans is 28. Median age of African Americans is about 32--compare these to the overall average of about 38 for the total U.S. population.
Among African Americans, CBS, ABC, Fox and NBC were the top nets in that order, while ESPN, BET, TNT, Lifetime, TBS and Food rounded out the top 10.
ABC took the top spot among Hispanic Americans, followed by Fox, CBS, NBC, HBO, Univision, Disney, Comedy Central and Discovery.
What did you find most interesting about the "must-keep" choices among potential cord-cutters?
Even though these are people who said they seriously considered dropping their paid TV subscriptions in the past six months, they chose the networks at the top and a relatively similar set of cable networks. The big four were at the top for cord-cutters as well. This is surprising in that we thought perhaps they would skew more to brands whose programming is not easy to get on the web.
Rounding out the top 10 for potential cord-cutters were: Discovery, History, ESPN, A&E, Food and Comedy Central.
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