Branding Television Channels

BRANDING TELEVISION CHANNELS
  by Sabrina Beram

In his book Brand Identity for Television, British graphic designer Martin Lambie asserted that “[t]hese days, a TV channel is just another product on an increasingly overcrowded TV supermarket shelf. It is a brand” (Hwang). With around 300 channels competing for a maximum of 60 million viewers, it has become essential for television channels to add other dimensions in order to differentiate their product from other products designed to satisfy the same need (Hwang).  According to the American Marketing Association, this is the purpose of branding.  If channels associate themselves with a memorable, clear message that speaks to their target audience, viewers will continue to return, building a reliable consumer base which is essential for drawing in advertisers.  But how does a channel project a strong image that appeals to a specific audience?  I conducted a study in which I watched approximately four hours of four different television channels (ESPN, Lifetime, MTV, and Nickelodeon) catering to distinct target audiences (men, women, teenagers, and kids) in order to determine the key elements which contributed to those channel’s brands.  I identified five components (content, visual design, sound design, commercials, and multimedia promotion beyond the channel) common to all four channels, but which where executed in strategically different ways resulting in my tendency to associate each channel with its intended group of viewers.  In this essay, I have included psychological research to justify the importance of the five elements and have used my own experiences as a viewer to exemplify the real-world use of those five elements in current television channel branding.

1. CONTENT

The first component of channel branding is content.  If a viewer sees himself/herself or an image of who they would like to be reflected in shows through the ideas communicated or the participating actors, then viewer will sense a familiarity in the channel and regard it as an extension of himself/herself (Hwang).  Every channel examined in my study repetitively emphasized specific values and featured situations which were relevant to their respective target audiences. 

ESPN focused on competitiveness and legacy.  Competitiveness is a trait commonly seen in male sociological interactions, and it is a value associated with the male gender.   A research study cited in the Melpomene Journal article “Attitudes towards competition: do differences exist between boys and girls?” recognized that “[m]any studies focusing on the interaction between males and females in small groups find that women are, indeed, less competitive and are “less interested in dominance striving” than are men,” and then set out to determine the legitimacy of that allegation.  Results showed that “Yes, there are indeed differences between them; and, yes, the differences are those that many would suspect: boys place more of an emphasis on winning – both for its intrinsic value and for what it means to them personally” (Jonas).  [Sports in particular appeal to men according to Sex Roles: A Journal of Research because “organized sport is clearly a potentially powerful cultural arena for…the ideology of men’s superiority and dominance…There are two fundamental dimensions along which sport provides support for hegemonic masculinity.  First, sport links maleness with highly valued and visible skills, and second, it links maleness with the positively sanctioned use of aggression/force/violence. On the other hand, the social organization of gender in society, because it defines the appropriate spheres of social activity and social roles for men, influences men’s participation in sport.  (Koka).]  

Additionally, adult males aspire to leaving a legacy since, as they get older, they feel pressured to leave something behind which they will be remembered for in order to justify their existence and prolong their impact on the world after they are gone.  The significance of legacy is familiar to men due to the social convention which dictates that procreation ensures that their name will live on, since children commonly take the last name of their father.  The programs I saw on ESPN reflected these two values.  The Heisman Trophy Award Ceremony was a competition in and of itself, and it celebrated competitiveness by awarding the best football player with a trophy symbolizing his ability to beat opponents by using athletic skill.   This television special incorporated the concept of legacy in more ways than one as it paid tribute to past Heisman Trophy winners and placed Reggie Bush the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner’s picture on a sort of historical wall of fame alongside the best football players of the past, implying that all of those winners will live on in spirit and through annual recognition from the living.  

This ceremony was followed up by an ESPN original movie called Code Breakers which was about a football team at a military school during the war.  After each commercial break, the film reopened with black and white newsreel footage transitioning back into the historical period in which the film was set.  This acknowledgement of the past and the fact that the characters were based on real people from a true story relates to the concept of legacy, as it emphasizes the impact that men can have on future generations.  Also, it ensured that older male viewers of the channel would relate to the younger main characters by portraying them as a representation of the older viewers during their years of youth.  The narrative centered around the various ways in which characters competed in the historical society; militarily, academically/professionally, and athletically.  The men were in the midst of a war and constantly received information of which country was winning or losing battles, they were pressured in the school setting to get good grades and some of them resorted to cheating to uphold the image that they dominated in that realm of their lives, and, of course, they were enrolled in sports and competed to beat other athletic opponents.  

Finally, I watched the ESPN signature show Sports Center in which the hosts debated which athletes were performing better or worse by discussing who held the “longest margin of victory,” interviewed the Hiesman Trophy Winner, reflected on which team had won certain games recently, and speculated about who would dominate in tournaments and go down in sports history.

In stark contrast, Lifetime focused on romance, feminism, and motherhood.  Romance is valued by adult women due to social conditioning through which they have been taught to seek the fairytale story ending in which they will presumably find Prince Charming and fall in love.  Not surprisingly, an article in Catalog Age titled "Gender Vendors -- differences and similarities in marketing to men and women" found that for the action series Highlander, the addition of “[r]omance…did build the female base to where the 700,000-name customer list [was] skewed just over 50-50 in favor of women. As the female part of the base rose, so did the median age, from 30 to 45” (Boorstein).  Since the ideal love story does not always hold up in reality, Lifetime supplements this notion with the message that women can be strong and independent on their own, a comment on modern women’s’ values of empowerment.  Family is valued by women since they usually take on the role of care giver as they nurture children, easing familial tensions and offering emotional support to those about whom they care.  An article in the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science stated that “[a]lthough gender roles have been changing, traditional perceptions of responsibility within the work and family spheres are still being maintained…Women continue to take a more active role as caregivers than men, regardless of familial responsibilities being more balanced between men and women… Although men and women have similar family demands, women are still feeling as though they are primarily responsible for their family” (McElwain).  

The two Lifetime channel original films I watched were deeply rooted representing women’s values, interactions, and situations.  The first movie Fifteen and Pregnant dealt with issues of motherhood both from the mother and daughter’s perspective.  The mother struggled with helping her daughter through a difficult time in her life and coping with her non-pregnant daughter’s jealousy of all the attention the mother paid to her pregnant sister.  Also, the mother exhibits feminist strength as she holds down a job and raises her children alone (since she is separated), and demonstrates how to deal with her mother-in-law’s nosy attempts to influence her decisions.  The daughter, on the other hand, is pregnant and must decide whether or not to keep the baby or put it up for adoption, and she learns about the physical changes that are happening to her body.  Romance is woven through the film as the mother rekindles her romance with her ex-husband, and the pregnant daughter, who had intercourse with her boyfriend as a symbol of her love for him, tries to understand why he doesn’t love her anymore after she gets pregnant.  

The second film, Hush, involved a woman who can’t get pregnant but wants a child badly, so she receives  artificial insemination of her husband’s sperm.  She and her husband move out of the city to the more suburban town where he grew up, because they feel it is a more appropriate area to raise a child.  When they get there, the wife makes friends with a waitress who, unbeknownst to the wife, is an ex-girlfriend of the husband.  It turns out that the husband got the waitress pregnant when they were teenagers, and, since he practices medicine, he performed an abortion so they could keep it a secret.  The waitress is still in love with him and in order to get him back she secretly dresses up as the wife, goes to the lab in L.A., gets an artificial insemination of his sperm, and becomes pregnant so that she can give the husband the only thing his wife cannot and he will love her again.  Although the plot is improbable, women can still relate to the characters and issues in this film.  The waitress is coping with the sadness of her past abortion, the fact that her own mother rejected her when she was young, and -after she is pregnant- she deals with the struggle of finding another job so she can make more money to support her baby.  Meanwhile, the wife is handling the disappointment of failed pregnancy attempts with new technology and is trying to keep her husband satisfied while he is being pursued and tempted sexually by another woman.  In the end of the  film, in an ultimate act of motherly protection, the wife sacrifices her own life in order to save the life of the baby.

Shifting into a youth culture focus, MTV focused on physical attractiveness and materialism.  During adolescence, peoples bodies evolve and male and female characteristics become more developed and evident.  An article on social comparison and body image in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research states that “[g]iven the physical changes associated with puberty and the importance of appearance for self-esteem, knowledge about the development of appearance social comparison for both boys and girls may be particularly helpful in understanding the dynamics associated with the changes and expectations surrounding body image... Peers are a vital part of the lives of adolescents and play an increasingly prominent role in defining social expectations, establishing identity, and evaluating self.  Feeling accepted and supported by friends and classmates is indeed one of the central concerns of adolescents…Furthermore, studies have indicated that students at a young age are cognizant of the linkage between conforming to appearance expectations and are pressured by peers to conform to appearance expectations…Given that appearance is one of the potential routes to acceptance and popularity, social comparison becomes a relevant mechanism for learning about the appearance-related social expectations among peers and for evaluating the self in terms of those standards” (Jones).  Thus, good physical appearance is highly valued among teens.  

Since material products may be used to increase attractiveness, either by enhancing physical appearance or by creating an image of success or confidence, materialism surfaces as another value of teens who seek acceptance within their peer groups.  This may have contributed to the statistic mentioned in the article “Decoding hip-hop’s cultural impact: scholars are poised to take a close look at the influence of hip-hop on the social identity, values of today’s youth” that “since the early 1990s, the biggest selling hip-hop artists have been the ones most associated with “gangsta” rap; the “bling-bling” rap that celebrates materialism.” (Roach).  MTV recognizes and, since it is such a powerful media entity, probably contributes to the association of these values with the teenage demographic.  The shows and videos on the channel showcase situations in which characters assess one other’s attractiveness and/or define what products are cool.  The fact that these interactions are often projected through reality television shows (like Laguna Beach, Cribs, and Pimp My Ride) guarantees that viewers will see themselves reflected in the channel and will perceive that physical attractiveness and materialism should be important to them as well.  

The first show I watched during the four hours was Next, a teen blind-date reality show in which the main character either rejects people from the opposite sex after hanging out with them for a brief time period in the hopes that the next person will be someone they will feel more compatible with, or, if they find someone they like, the main character offers them a choice of money or another date.  I observed that most selections were made based on the person’s physical looks as opposed to their personality.  It was not uncommon for the dater to reject their dates upon seeing them, with the explanation: “You’re just not my type.”  One girl even based her decision on how far a guy would go to change his appearance (ie. haircut, clothing, piercing) to match what she found to be attractive.  

Another show I saw was called Direct Effect and appeared to be a strictly hip-hop alternative to TRL.  Nearly all of the videos shown focused on attractiveness and materialism, showing girls in booty shorts and cleavage-inducing bikini tops and guys driving hot sport cars with large gold chains around their necks.  One song, titled “Grillz,” exemplified MTV’s emphasis of these values, as Nelly rapped about a sexy girl finding him attractive because he has diamond teeth caps.  The banter between which comprised the chorus consisted of Nelly asking, “Girl whatchu looking at?” to which she seductively replies, “I want to see your Grill.”

Nickelodeon, targeting children's tastes, focused on education and fantasy.  Education is relevant to children, since they are constantly discovering new things about the world.  Nickelodeon’s program Jimmy Neutron; Boy Genius stresses the message that knowledge is power.  At one point in the show, when Jimmy needed to find a solution to a problem, the camera zoomed in through his ear to show the electrons shooting and neurons pumping away in his brain, after which Jimmy logically figured out a way to save the day.  The show is set up in such a way that Jimmy functions as a teacher explaining new concepts to his less experienced friends who ask him questions that the children viewers of Nickelodeon might be wondering.  Through this method, Jimmy exposes his friends (and simultaneously the viewers) to a multitude of new words and concepts relating to literature, technology, entertainment, geography, and science among others.  

This appeals to the young audience who socially interacts in a learning-teaching manner with teachers, parents, coaches, and friends, and who are learning similar things in school and extracurricular activities which they can recognize in the show.  For example, the few episodes I saw referenced a wide range of typically kid-themed subjects and hobbies including Macbeth, downloading computer programs, science fair experiments, Chinese culture, Star Wars, the chemistry of breaking hydrocarbons into energy at breakfast, kung fu, marine life etc.  The value of fantasy relates to young viewers of Nickelodeon who are at a stage in life when creativity and using one’s imagination is encouraged in forms of entertainment, like playing make-believe and storytelling, and adults try to instill in children a sense of wonderment with the world and the notion that anything is possible.  Both Jimmy Neutron and Spongebob Squarepants reinforce this concept as their characters dream up fanciful ideas and defy the laws of gravity, space, matter, and time.   In these shows, the main characters and their friends flew through the air or breathed underwater, impossibly contorted their physical features or swapped bodies entirely, communicated with animals and objects, and time traveled into the past and future.

            All of the programs I watched reflected the core values of their target audience, had main characters with personalities and physical attributes and communication skills which either were desired by or closely mirrored those found in viewers, and featured situations to which the viewers could relate since they either in the past or were currently dealing with similar issues.  Since it is a channel’s most significant attribute, the content in channel branding lays the groundwork for the other components of the channel brand.

2. VISUAL DESIGN

            Visual Design is the second component key to the development of a channel’s image.  The visuals are often what attract a viewer to a channel, so they must represent the channel’s mood and be created with the motivations and desires of the demographic audience in mind.  In Jia Hwang’s essay titled “Study of Branding Strategy in New Media and Brand Identity Development for Short Film Channel,” she writes that “Graphic elements [are] the entrance of brand awareness…Successful visual representation of the channel will support it…The visual elements such as font, tone, and color determine the style of the channel and the viewers actually differentiate the channel from others because of its looks…If one television company can create [an] image that differentiates it from other channels, the television viewer will remember that channel and have an expectation of it.  The channel must attract and tell the viewer often what the channel is for and designing…will be the first attraction for the channel” (Hwang).  Three important aspects of visual design are logo, color, and presentation of information. 

The logo is important because it alerts the viewer to what they are watching so that they know where to come back for the same kind of programming.  It must stand out and be memorable.  Additionally, Hwang contends that “existence of a strong brand name in the entertainment industry is valuable because of strong feelings of emotions that names engender as a result of pleasurable past experiences…If one channel can be positioned with a one-word brand identity, it immediately becomes a specialized channel” (Hwang).  

The four channels I studied all have names which relate to the content on the channel they represent.  This makes the channels more memorable in the minds of the viewers since the logo or name easily conjures up feelings associated with the viewing experience.  Also, this helps the channels to attract potential viewers since the logo featuring the name of the channel gives an indication of what may be found there, and the potential viewers can determine whether or not this might be a good fit for them.   For example, when I hear the word Lifetime, I expect to see stories relating to people dealing with common struggles which are an inherent part of living life.  I can also infer from the feminine, flowy, delicate nature of the slender font used in the logo that the channel is catered to women.   

One cannot tell as easily from ESPN’s logo what the content of the channel is due to the fact that it is an abbreviation.  However, after I have been exposed to the channel’s shows, I can infer that the “E” relates to entertainment, the “SP” represents sports, and the “N” stands for news.  For people who are familiar with sports, the abbreviation seems appropriate since most widely known athletic associations and leagues are commonly referred to in the abbreviated format, such as the NBA or NFL.  The visual appearance of the ESPN logo is suggestive of masculinity and sports.  The font is thick, blocky, and squared like a stereotypical male athletic physique; it looks strong and bold, like a force to be reckoned with.  The logo is also suggestive of speed.  It tilts slightly to the right, at an angle commonly seen in the stance of a runner in profile, and the line through the letters is symbolic of wind flying past.  

The MTV name is another abbreviation, however, logo clearly implies that the “TV” stands for television, since these letters appear much smaller and in a completely different font from the “M.”  The M is square-like 3D and flat-surfaced, like a wall, while the “T” and “V” are wobbly and appear to be sprayed on like spray paint in freehand, which suggests the laid back, rebellious, cool, adolescent style of the channel.  

The name Nickelodeon tickles the tongue to say, producing a silly sort of experience which reflects the childlike nature of the channel.  Chances are that most people don’t know that the word itself describes early theaters that used to charge five cents for admission, but the “nickel” half can be perceived as representative of the number five which refers to the young age of the viewers.  In the logo, the channel name is usually inside of a paint splatter which symbolizes the playful, creative nature of children who appreciate tactile experiences and have most probably spilled a few paint buckets in their day.

Colors are important since they have specific emotional connotations and can instantly communicate a message about a channel.  The essay “Colour as a Tool for E-Branding,” explains how color affects viewers physiologically by effecting muscles in the human eye, psychologically through powerful subliminal persuasion, and aesthetically by creating “pleasant visual harmony or …a cluttered, chaotic experience.”  Consequently, “the wrong colors can be an irreversible mistake and may keep the consumer from exploring the site [or channel] long before they even consider purchasing a product [or consuming the program content]. (Lee)”   The colors associated with each channel’s logo, promotional pieces, and lineups or programming schedules that appear throughout the viewer’s experience symbolically imply the general mood of the channels.  

ESPN uses bright red which “symbolizes strong emotions, or things of strong emotions rather than intellectual ideas.  For example, red can symbolize excitement, energy, speed, strength, danger, passion, and aggression” (“Symbolism”).  “Colour as a Tool for E-Branding” states that “bright vivid colors, such as pure red and blue, are energizing and outward-focused.”  Lifetime uses light muted blue which “is the color of the Virgin Mary, and is associated with girls who have similar pure qualities. …  In addition, it is the color of water and the sea, with all the symbolic references already discussed for that element – that is, blue usually indicates femininity, life, purity, etc., just as water does.  Blue can also symbolize peace, calm, stability, security, loyalty” (“Symbolism”)  “Colour as a Tool for E-Branding” adds that “complex colors- muted colors- appeal to higher socioeconomic groups…Muted, grey-based colors, such as taupe and blue-grey, are sophisticated and reserved…Light shades of most colors, such as pink and light blue, are delicate and ethereal.”  MTV’s colors are constantly changing, which is in alignment with the hip-to-the-times attitude of the channel.  However, its colors are always bright.  According to “Color Matters,” “[b]right colors appeal to youth…Extremely bright, electrifying colors, such as lime green and fuchsia, are festive, “hip,” and dynamic.”  Nickelodeon’s signature color is orange which “can represent energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, flamboyant, and demanding of attention” (“Symbolism”).  All of the four channels are associated with appropriate colors for their target groups and channel content.

Finally, the presentation of information is important, because different people process information differently according to their gender, age, and the structural layouts with which they have become accustomed.  ESPN’s information is commonly organized into geometrically shaped charts and numerical statistics.  This is appropriate for the target audience since males tend to have better numerical and spatial relationship skills when interpreting information (Marano).  Also, information was often quickly scrolled across the bottom of the screen.  This fast-paced technique of information presentation may be due to the fact that men can absorb information more quickly than women.  Charted material, statistical numbers, and scrolling are all forms of information display with which men are familiar since they are commonly found in male dominated work places.  For example, in the business world information for the stock market is scrolled and employs the use of abbreviations and numbers.  Women, alternatively, are much more verbal with a talent for interpreting language (14).  In alignment with many male gender communication studies, ESPN “restricted emotional expression (e.g., no crying), and limit[ed]… verbal expression and communication” (Davis).  Conversely, Lifetime usually presented information textually and used a woman’s voiceover to comment on upcoming shows with descriptive adjectives.  MTV presented information within edgy digital frames.  For example, interviews were conducted through telecommunication, using television screens or monitors.  Additionally, references were continually made to the internet and other forms of technology with which this generation has become accustomed.  Nickelodeon rarely used text, since not all young children have developed reading skills.   The channel opted instead to communicate through universally understood images, adopting the same technique for communication as picture books use.

3. SOUND DESIGN

Sound affects the body and mind.  For example, low tones are proven to directly stir “sexual, digestive, and deep seated emotional centers,” while other sounds can impact “body temperature, blood circulation, pulse rate, breathing, and sweating” (Sonnenschein, 70-71).  Since communicating through the sense of sound renders listeners impressionable, sound design can be instrumental in projecting the mood of a channel and stimulating emotional and physical responses in viewers; responses they may come to associate with the channel.  The most important element of sound design relative to channel differentiation is music.  Music, much like color, can stimulate emotional responses, change the energy of listeners, and encourage the viewer’s connection with the image.  ESPN mostly played rock and roll music in the background as game scores were announced and replays were assessed. In the book Sound Design, David Sonnenschein states that rock induces “aggressive movement [and] the building and releasing of energy” while the emotion of daringness is expressed with a “defiant, rushing melody” (108-109) Since athletics by nature require physical exertion to play and vicariously arouse excitement in fans, the fast rumbling beats of rock and roll were an appropriate accomplice to the content (108-109).  Conversely, Lifetime mostly played slow, Romantic music which Sonnenchein characterizes as stimulating “emotion, warmth, pride, [and] romance,” feelings which were surely exhibited by the characters, and probably shared by the sympathetic female viewers (109).  Emotions such as sorrow were expressed with “slow, languid melody,” fear was expressed with “tumbling downward progressions, mainly in the lower register,” and compassion was accompanied by “soft, smooth, lamenting melody, slow movement, [and] repeated figures in the bass” (Sonnenschein, 108).  Mostly music in the Lifetime movies was used to emphasize moments of transition or to sweeten dramatic moments.  MTV mostly played rap and hip hop, which Sonnenshein writes impacts the listeners by “animating the nervous system [and inducing] rebellious behavior,” which are both feelings to which energetic, angst-ridden teens relate and are apt to experience (109). Music used as background in reality shows generally related to the extreme emotions of love, expressed with “constant harmony [and] soft, flattering melody in broad movements,” wrath, communicated with “running notes, frequent sudden changes in the bass, and sharp, violent movements,” and hopefulness, tied to “a proud, exultant melody” (Sonnenschein, 108).  These emotions definitely relate to the topics of betrayal, rejection, and lust.  Nickelodeon’s theme songs could best be characterized as catchy pop, a genre of music characterized as “centered [, sending a] feeling of goodness” and reggae or jazz which are genres determined to have a “joyous, heartfelt…playful” impact on listeners (Sonnenschein, 109).  This works for the children’s demographic since Nickelodeon is a channel about having fun and feeling good.  There were a surprising number of sound effects throughout the animated television shows in order to supplement the range of emotions expressed by the characters, like the highly emotive Spongebob Squarepants, and to direct the emotions of the children watching, so they would better understand the narrative. 

4. COMMERCIALS

            Commercials are essential in defining a channel’s image since they comprise all of the breaks between programming.  It is important that commercials are stimulating to a channel’s target audience in order to ensure that viewers currently watching do not flip to a different station and that potential viewers who are zapping in search of something attractive stop and link on to the channel.  For this reason, the commercials on each channel should consider the motivations of the viewers and align with their desires.  Sometimes, this means that two commercials for the same product must sell from different angles and take on alternative formats or feature different actors or voices.  Three examples of this during my viewing period were the commercials for KFC’s build your own Variety Buckets, the new feature film Yours, Mine and Ours, and for Cingular mobile telephones.  When the KFC Variety Bucket aired on ESPN, it consisted of footage of the variety bucket shifting around so you could see it from different angles supplemented with a numerical representation of the price with a male narrator explaining in a robust and powerful voice about how the product offered consumer’s the ability to personalize their chicken and get more than one type at a time.  The music in the background was the adrenaline-pumping rock music characteristic of other ESPN programming and the colors and images were red and hot, encouraging an impulse buy.   After watching it, I remember envisioning three male friends sitting around a television watching a game with each munching on their favorite type of KFC chicken as they shared the Variety Bucket.  When I saw the advertisement on Lifetime, the setting was a pristine, white kitchen and the first person seen on screen to represent the product was a middle-aged mother.  She explained to her family that she had picked up dinner and since KFC let her build her own Variety Bucket, she had gotten everyone’s favorite type of chicken so they would each be satisfied.  Directly after this narrative, the camera cut to her son, daughter, and husband who slowly rose to their feet in unison and started to clap their hands, applauding the mother/wife as an expression of their appreciation.  This new version of the commercial played to the motherly values of the Lifetime audience and to their genetically-predisposed process of interpreting information as the price was stated verbally.  The commercial for Yours, Mine, and Ours aired on Lifetime with footage from the film of Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo romantically dancing together on a cruise and, after they get married, of the couple rolling around on a bed in a public mall since it is the only place they can be alone and relax without their eighteen kids.  This is perfect for the Lifetime audience since it references romance and parenting.  When the commercial appeared on Nickelodeon, the clips from the movie included the kids getting into trouble and making an absolute mess of the house or animals running around indoors covered in paint and attacking the adults while the kids laughed in the foreground.  This was much more effective for the younger demographic since children were shown on screen to represent the film and because their actions exhibited playfulness and mischief.  Another prime difference was that on Nickelodeon the main stars were no longer introduced by the narrator.  This element of the commercial was essential on Lifetime, since a big draw to the movie for adult women were the same-aged celebrities; women find Dennis Quaid attractive and Rene Russo endearing and want to have another opportunity to watch them.  Small children, however, probably have no idea who these celebrities are, so their names would have just been meaningless information taking up time in the brief slot where a funny sound effect could have been inserted instead.  The commercials for Cingular that I saw on Lifetime emphasized “family plans” and featured kids addressing their parents, explaining how with Cingular phones they can stay in touch and the parents won’t have to worry.  This of course played to the value of motherhood.  Meanwhile, the Cingular phone commercials on MTV accentuated the value of appearances and materialism, indicating that the phone was sleek and sexy, and owning the phone would make the teenage viewers more attractive and cool as well.  The music in the commercial was like runway electronic music with a pulsating beat and the phone moved like a model with agility, turning around so viewers could admire it from every angle as the style was materialistically identified with the name “Black Razor” by the announcer.  The adaptation of these commercials to their new channel environments implies the significance of commercials in maintaining a channel’s cohesive identity and brand.

5. OPPORTUNITES FOR INTERACTION BEYOND THE CHANNEL

            The final, but equally if not more important, element of channel branding is interactive media and events associated with a channel.  It is imperative that channels remain visible in the lives of the viewers and that the channel creates both tangible products and experiences with which viewers can interact so as to remain present in the viewer’s mind and to ensure that the viewer incorporates the channel brand into their identity through a sense of participation and belonging.  Nickelodeon produces and promotes its own print magazine with cut out pranks and the channel features promos called “Ask the Creators” with kids out on the street holding a microphone and asking questions to the creative minds behind the shows.  Through these methods, the intangible channel reaches out into the lives of viewers in a tangible manner and manifests itself as a community in which the viewer’s voices are heard and answered.  MTV sponsors concerts and events, providing a physical location at which MTV viewers can meet each other and start relationships based on their common appreciation MTV.  This strengthens viewers bond to the channel as they incorporate it into their identity as a means by which they can belong to a social group and relate to their peers.  Also, MTV transcends channel content and takes an active role in foreign viewers’ lives by researching target audience culture engaging in activities that address their culture-specific concerns.  In Bombay, a near third-world country, the channel created “MTV Dirt Busters,” an anti-pollution drive which sent MTV trucks to clean up the city and rewarded contest winners with trips to pollution-free destinations.  Lifetime engages in similar activities to spread awareness of  and support programs for people who suffer from diabetes, breast cancer, and teenage pregnancy.  Social campaigns such as this contribute to the channel’s brand by adding value to the company attached to the channel.  ESPN has become more present in the lives of its viewers by multiplexing with channels such as ESPN2, ESPN News, and ESPN Classic in order to enter into more areas of fan’s lives.  Also, ESPN created ESPN ZONE, an establishment for families and event gatherings which offers food, attractions, games, merchandise, and of course 150 monitors screening the channel.  This is meant to be a place where memories associated with ESPN can be created.  New technologies are becoming a key route through which television channels can penetrate the personal lives of their viewers.  Both ESPN and MTV have deals with cell phone companies to provide services or create their own brand of phone.  This is one more way they can ensure that consumers will come into contact with the brands everyday.  Additionally, all four of the channels I reviewed have websites which afford viewers the chance to keep track of what’s new on the channel, play interactive games, develop a sense of efficacy by voting and shaping channel content, chat with other viewers, participate in contests, buy tickets to events, watch reruns, interact with celebrities, read news relating to company developments, shop for merchandise, exercise creativity, or even project themselves onto the channel by designing a computer-generated character of themselves.  By interacting in this manner, viewers will increasingly incorporate the channels into their identity. 

CONCLUSION

            Branding is essential to getting a target audience to identify with a channel and keep that channel on their television set.  Channels that have a clearly identifiable image are more memorable and relatable for viewers.  The various ways in which channels can create that clear identity and work into the lives of a demographic group is to ensure that the viewers see themselves reflected in the channel’s content, find the visual attributes of the channel appealing and understandable, emotionally respond to the sound design, regard commercials as stimulating and relevant to their lives, and interact with the channel beyond the realm of television.  If a channel can succeed in achieving these goals, viewers will want to become a part of the channel.  This is beneficial since it will provide the channel with a steady flow of consumers with obvious material needs which in turn will attract advertisers willing to pay the channel a large sum of money for advertising spots.

            Branding is especially significant in the highly competitive era of cable television, pay-per-view, satellite tv, and video-on-demand. since viewers have been endowed with the power of choice.  In order to stand out and remain visible, a channel must exude character and connect with a certain demographic.  The Big Three networks are struggling to regain the market dominance they once had since their technique of appealing to the masses has become ineffective in this age of narrowcasting (Hwang).   

RESOURCES

Boorstein, Jonathan. “Gender Vendors - differences and similarities in marketing to men and women - Brief Article”. Catalog Age. Jan 2000.  

Davis, Tracy L. Voices of gender role conflict: The social construction of college men's identity.” Journal of College Student Development. July.August 2002.  

Hwang, Jia.  “Study of Branding Strategy in New Media and Brand Identity Development for Short Film Channel.” 17 May, 2002.

Jonas, Mary Healy. “Attitudes towards competition: do differences exist between boys and girls? – Research.”
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Jones, Diane Carlson.  “Social comparison and body image: attractiveness comparisons to models and peers among adolescent girls and boys - Statistical Data Included.” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. Nov. 2001. 

Klomsten, Anne Torhild, Herb W. Marsh, Elinar M. Skaalvik. “Adolescents' perceptions of masculine and feminine values in sport and physical education: a study of gender differences.” May, 2005. Sex Roles: a Journal of Research. 

Koka, Cannan F. Hulva Asci, Sadettin Kirazci. “Gender role orientation of athletes and nonathletes in a patriarchal society: a study in Turkey.” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, Feb, 2005.  

Lee, Na Ree. “Colour as a Tool for E-Branding.” MA Design Futures. Goldsmiths College, University of London. 25 Feb. 2004.

Marano, Hara Estroff. “The new sex scorecard: talking openly about sex differences is no longer an exercise in political incorrectness; it is a necessity in fighting disease and forging successful relationships. At 109 and counting, PT examines the tally - The Opposite Sex.” Psychology Today. July-Aug, 2003.

McElwain, Allyson K; Korabik, Karen; Rosin, Hazel M. “An Examination of Gender Differences in Work-Family Conflict.”  Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science Vol. 37, No. 4; Pg. 283. 2005.

Roach, Ronald. “Decoding hip-hop's cultural impact: scholars are poised to take a close look at the influence of hip-hop on the social identity, values of today's youth.” Black Issues in Higher Education. 22 Apr. 2004.

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“Symbolism: Colors.” 7 Sept. 2001. 15 Dec. 2005. < http://www.three-musketeers.net/mike/colors.html >