SPONSOR
CONTENT
sponsor content by
modern media company
The Anatomy of a
The business of creativity is a tricky one.
For one thing, you need to be willing to take risks. There are no “sure things” in the business of creativity. For another, audiences have more options than ever, and the Attention Economy operates on supply and demand. If you run out of supply, customers will look elsewhere for their demand.
At Turner, all decisions in the business of creativity filter through one lens: nurturing fandom. Through daring moves like running fewer ads and embracing binge-watching culture, Turner has evolved as a premium media company driven by creativity and centered on fans — serving them when, where, and how they want their content.
It’s bold, risky, and forward-thinking. What it isn’t is easy. Here’s how they’re doing it.
Once upon a time, shows were the entire experience. Now, they are the jumping off point. Whether it’s fictional characters in a narrative drama or comedic hosts of a half-hour news show, every bit of that intellectual property can now spread — in new and unique ways — across various touch points. And things like fan fiction, cosplay at Comic-Con, and comment threads debating story arcs are all signs that when you expand your brand, fans will find creative ways to fill that space.
President of
TBS and TNT
watch
kevin reilly
I think to a certain extent the Nielsen-based television experience took fans a little bit for granted.
Brands, not
TV Shows
It would be easy to apply the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage to sports programming. But Lenny Daniels understands that while casual viewers will still tune in for a game, real fans want a more immersive experience. For Turner's fan-first strategy, that means building new channels like B/R Live to help viewers not only watch games but also discover sporting news and entertainment — all in one place. This means fan engagement continues long after the final buzzer.
President of Turner Sports
watch
lenny daniels
The difference between a viewer and a fan, in my mind, is engagement.
Difference between a Viewer and a Fan
The way viewers consume content is changing and audience expectations have
evolved. Recognizing the need to change to stay competitive, in 2015 truTV decided to
reduce its ad load from nearly 19 minutes an hour to just 11. Why? Because fewer ads
not only create a less cluttered and more premium environment for the viewer and the advertiser, but also deliver an increase in actual product sales.
President of truTV
watch
chris linn
Fewer commercial interruptions reduce clutter on our air, so the messages can actually break through and connect with the viewer.
Limited Commercial
Interruption
If social-media algorithms have taught us anything, it's that there's a big difference
between having traffic and having a fanbase. Loyal fanbases are built by investing in talent and resources to create compelling shows, apps, games, and social content. And the payoff is worth it: Advertisers can trust in the transparency and integrity of Turner’s entire portfolio, whether that is on-air, on demand, or in the experience.
President of
Turner Ad Sales
watch
Donna Speciale
There is so much conversation about the lack of transparency in the digital space; we don’t have to talk about that.
The Power of
Premium Content
CNN is on every platform imaginable. We no longer care where you watch as long as it has those three little red letters on it.
There’s an argument to be made that sitting down in your favorite chair and watching TV on a 55-inch screen is the best way to watch the news. But it’s a losing one. The digital generation has spoken, and they want their news from websites, social media, mobile apps, and other digital outlets. CNN knows that delighting its audience means meeting them on the platforms they're already using — not forcing them to come to you.
President of
CNN Worldwide
watch
JEFF ZUCKER
Go Where the Audience Is
President, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang
watch
CHRISTINA MILLER
The evolution from a linear network to an immersive digital provider involves more than just setting up some social accounts and streaming your shows online. For Christina Miller, president of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, it’s a total consumption play, including everything from apps and games to VOD content and event activations. And the benefit of multiple touch points is the many places for audiences — especially younger ones — to evangelize for you.
The passion for storytelling has existed for centuries. What has changed over recent time is the endless number of spaces you can now tell it on.
Multiplatform
by Design
President of Turner
watch
DAVID LEVY
Content-consumption habits have changed drastically over the past five years — maybe
even the past five minutes. And in this fragmented, ever-changing landscape, David
Levy says you have to look at it through the lens of the fan. The industry is witnessing
more personalization of content, and if you’re not reaching fans with a rich content
experience on every screen they own, you need to rethink your approach. So that’s
exactly what Turner has done.
When you think about this industry and how fragmented it is getting, you really
have to start thinking about how you can capture the fan. Because fans are the most valuable
consumer we have in our portfolio.
The Importance
of Fans
Brands,
not TV Shows
Difference between
a Viewer and a Fan
Limited Commercial Interruption
The Power of Premium Content
Go Where the Audience Is
Multiplatform by Design
The Importance
of Fans
Want to take an even deeper dive into Turner’s vision for the future of news, sports, and entertainment?
learn more
Photography, characters and illustrations © Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. A Time Warner Company.
Sponsor content is produced in collaboration with advertisers by Insider Studios, the branded content team at Insider Inc. Business Insider's editorial staff is not involved in the creation of this content. Copyright © 2018 Business Insider Inc. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Disclaimer | Commerce Policy | Made in NYC
CREATED BY
