Oh, there is a proper scientifically researched term in marketing for that widespread tendency - Lead-In Effect. Why the most watched FRIENDS episode when it aired wasn't the finale but The One after the Superbowl. Some fascinating research if you wanna Google Scholar it.
https://twitter.com/MujeSakshiMaano/status/1499061026465198102
When some people genuinely ask, how exactly does one get a PhD in marketing, just a million different 2x2 charts? I tell about this research. Very intuitive and also cool.
Stickiness in media consumption habits. In many instances, as much as 25% of the audience stays on lazily.
Stickiness in media consumption habits. In many instances, as much as 25% of the audience stays on lazily.
So obviously, if you're a network executive or these days, streaming platform, you want to know what is the best way to make it work for them.
The biggest example is the show after the Superbowl. Biggest TV audience of the year by far. 100 million regularly. Nothing comes close.
The biggest example is the show after the Superbowl. Biggest TV audience of the year by far. 100 million regularly. Nothing comes close.
Plus US TV is scheduled for East coast, where most of the population and wealthy middle class is concentrated. So it's usually just 8 pm on the west coast when the biggest show of the year ends, on a Sunday night. And people are up for just mindlessly watching more TV.
The SB rotates among 3 networks that are flagships of 3 supermassive media conglomerates - CBS, NBC, Fox. Each network has that captive audience for just that one night after the Super bowl which ends pretty early. Even on the east coast, it's just 11 pm. Late night TV time.
So execs have to decide what show to air right after the Superbowl confetti rains down and fireworks go off.
Your first instinct might be, the MOST popular show of course!
Lol, cute. In the immortal words of Rod Blagojevich, they've got this and it's fucking golden.
Your first instinct might be, the MOST popular show of course!
Lol, cute. In the immortal words of Rod Blagojevich, they've got this and it's fucking golden.
So why air the most popular show if it's already popular?
No, they air shows they think would get a big bump in ratings if showcased to a bigger audience. The middle of the pack underperformer. Like FRIENDS was at time when network comedy was very crowded.
No, they air shows they think would get a big bump in ratings if showcased to a bigger audience. The middle of the pack underperformer. Like FRIENDS was at time when network comedy was very crowded.
They didn't air Seinfeld or Frasier, vastly more popular AND better written shows. They aired FRIENDS cos research suggested that even if the show was panned by critics and ignored at Emmy's, as an entertainment product, 6 good looking white people in NYC had to be more popular!
The Office is another example. And Elementary.
All market research showed that they had elements that would appeal to a broader audience than the small one they had then. It worked. The Superbowl lead-out bump is empirically validated.
All market research showed that they had elements that would appeal to a broader audience than the small one they had then. It worked. The Superbowl lead-out bump is empirically validated.
https://twitter.com/aditichaubey/status/1499065683308683272?t=XnlcS71BZdw0N0Zcojv8aA&s=19
What sets the FRIENDS example apart is that it is without a doubt THE most money and effort and airtime and resources spent for a post super bowl show ever. It was a 1 hr episode, extremely horribly written. Just meant to throw in A list names to get people to stay & watch.
Remember that hour long episode? Now shown as 2 episodes. Had Julia Roberts the top box office star, JCVD the top action star, Brooke Shields, that the then key demo had crushes on in teenage years, Chris Isaak top heartthrob, and Dan Castellaneta i.e. Homer Simpson.
I mean it worked. Friends became a Hall of Fame hit. But how atrocious is that episode!!
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