Positioning Nick-At-Nite

Written by Alan Goodman

for Fred/Alan, Inc., New York
1987

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 POSITIONING CHALLENGES

Accurately reflect the interests of the target audience.

Develop a statement to guide program acquisition, promotion, advertising.

Develop a statement broad enough to accommodate future original

programming.

Create a hook without the negatives of "rerun channel" or "classic

television" or "TV for the TV generation." Or comedy.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 POSITIONING EXAMPLES

We knew what MTV, VH-1 and NICKELODEON were as channels before

they were positioned for an audience.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

POSITIONING EXAMPLE--MTV

MTV--A Video music channel.

POSITIONING--The home of irreverence, juvenile delinquency, surprise

and energy. The opposite of anything you would expect to find on
conventional television. Summed up in the phrase "MTV vs. Normal
TV."

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

POSITIONING EXAMPLE --VH-1

VH-1- - a video music channel.

POSITIONING - - Seen entirely in relation to its precedent-setting and

predominant sister, MTV. If MTV is fiery-hot, VH-1 is cool -blue. If
MTV is youthful and energetic, VH-1 is older and more relaxed.
Summed up in the phrase "The Other Music Television."

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

POSITIONING EXAMPLE --NICKELODEON

NICKELODEON-- A kid's channel

POSITIONING -- For kids from a kid's point of view. Come to us to relax,

be yourself, escape from the adult world. Summed up in the phrase 'Us
vs. Them."

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 WHAT IS NICK-AT-NITE?

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 NICK-AT-NITE -- A LOT TO OVERCOME

Programs are old.

black and white

reruns

not even popular enough for syndication

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 NICK AT NIGHT -- A LOT TO RECOMMEND

Programs are mostly situation comedies.

quality shows

remembered by a significant, targetable group.

surrounded by promotion as inventive and

entertaining as the shows themselves.

New shows and specials are being created to take advantage of the unique
environment Nick-At-Nite allows.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 DEFINING "NICK-AT-NITE"

What works about "Nick-At-Nite" --

Old shows.

Ridiculous promotion around old shows.

Absurd advertising for old shows.

"Nick-At-Nite" does the unthinkable--

IT PRETENDS TV HAS MEANING IN OUR LIVES

What "Nick-At-Nite" has done more successfully than anything is bring

importance to the most disposable thing we have in America. Showing
black & white TV shows that are 25 years old --AND PROMOTING
THEM --contemporizes the shows. Knowing we are watching something
that doesn't fit in today's world and being completely self-conscious
about our enjoyment of it is the essence of "Nick-At-Nites's appeal.

"How to be Donna Reed" is a contemporary reaction to watching and

enjoying Donna Reed.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

"Car 54 Training Camp" starring Al Lewis is a contemporary reaction to
watching and enjoying "Car 54. "

DEFINING NICK-AT-NITE --
TWO EXAMPLES OF ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

TV COMEDY TEST -- While the National Health Test Show and National
Driving Test Show tested people's knowledge of elements important to
real life, Nick-At-Nite used the same format to test our knowledge of the
phony, make -believe garbage we love on TV.

KINGPINS -- A lampoon of every game show ever, and every bowling

show ever. KINGPINS could never have existed if other (straight)
bowling shows hadn't come first.

NICK-AT-NITE DOESN'T EXIST IN A REAL WORLD.

NICK-AT-NITE EXISTS IN A TV WORLD.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 WHAT WE'RE LIKE

The same way David Letterman is self-conscious about being a talk show,
and Garry Shandling is self-conscious about being a sitcom, and Saturday
Night Live is self-conscious about being a variety show, Nick-At-Nite is
self-conscious about being a network.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 DEFINING NICK-AT-NITE

All of us involved in creating the programming, promotion and advertising

for Nick-At-Nite, do all that we do for all the right reasons--
With all the best intentions--
after getting all the best research--

And believe in it. Wholeheartedly and completely.

But all along the way, we hear this nagging voice in our heads:

"COME ON, YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT?

THIS IS REALLY ALL A GAG, RIGHT?
WE DON'T REALLY WORK IN TV, DO WE?
NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS WOULD EVER GIVE US THE
MONEY TO REALLY DO THIS WOULD THEY?"

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 NICK-AT-NITE IS:

In love with television, Even misses the test patterns.

Michael Keaton's favorite television channel. (?)
A night light.
An inside joke.
Just like the Museum of Broadcasting, if the Museum had a fridge with
beer.
Where all the TV cliches echo fondly.
A theme park, not a network.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

NICK-AT-NITE is like Fantasyland or Adventureland

It's TV LAND.

Nick-At-Nite positioning statement:

“HELLO OUT THERE FROM TV LAND!”

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 "HELLO OUT THERE FROM TV LAND!"

It's funny. It says we're funny.

But we could still run Bonanza.

It's a phrase baby boomers might remember.

It's upbeat, says this is fun stuff.

It suggests that Nick-At-Nite is a place, a home.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

WHAT THIS MEANS TO PROGRAM ACQUISITION
AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

It provides a broader palette than just comedies, so long as our attitude

about promoting them stays the same. (We can never become too
reverent or important. Remember, this is a theme park, where they sell
cotton candy).

It's a barometer. Nick-At-Nite shows aren't just television, they're about

television.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 WHAT THIS MEANS TO CABLE OPERATORS

"Nick-At-Nite" is a channel that programs for consumers the most

consistently appealing genre of programming (comedies), and feels
about TV the way they do themselves.

It is a "high-concept" service exclusive to cable TV.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 WHAT THIS MEANS TO ADVERTISERS

"Nick-At-Nite" is an environment buy, similar to MTV and

Nickelodeon.

They buy the network, the attitude, the promotions and specials, the
mood and emotion, not the black and white reruns.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 WHAT THIS MEANS TO CONSUMERS

"Nick-At-Nite" is a place they want to go to.

It cuts through the clutter of 36 network choices

It is a channel whose philosophy will draw viewers without asking them

to analyze the value of an individual program.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987

 It has a better opportunity to become a "first choice" channel for channel
switchers than anything else "Nick-At-Nite" can do right now.

The End.

Written by Alan Goodman for Fred/Alan, Inc. NY 1987