Changing Channels: How Converging with the Web Will Change the Way You Think About Branding
Everyone seems to be talking about how, someday, we'll be able to watch ESPN and pull up a player's stats at the same time, or watch the film “Glory” while accessing Denzel Washington's bio.
But the fact of the matter is no one is probably ever really going to do that.
Why? Because television is passive; the Internet, interactive. While Web TV will no doubt become reality in some form, it will never offer a single, seamless combination of the two media. Instead, it will provide television watchers with a support tool, a means of switching gears quickly. By their very natures, the two media will not (and cannot) offer a 'dual' experience. It's a bit like riding a bike and swimming -- you might ride your bike to the pond to go swimming, but you'll never ride your bike into the water (even if it was waterproof); the two just aren't done simultaneously.
It's the same with the Web and television. But, faster than you can say “java,“ there are an awful lot of media companies jumping onto the Web - and doing so as if the Web is simply a new incarnation of the same old TV medium.
Unfortunately, this approach to branding on the Web won't work. The Web and TV each have different ways of distributing content. Although both are visual, and come in a box, the strengths of each medium are vastly different.
Television is a medium whose strength lies in its ability to tell a story. Creatives in the television industry are able to craft an intricate linear story and distribute it to a wide audience via full-screen video and audio.
The Web, however, is terrible at this. The technology is still too limited for full-screen video, with constantly changing content, and is nonlinear, which is awful for traditional storytelling. However, the Web IS great at more focused target marketing, and offers access to worldwide distribution for practically nothing. It also builds personal relationships by enabling users to communicate with each other through chat rooms or e-mail. It allows you to produce interactive content (such as games) with audience participation, and deliver much more text online than is possible on-air.
So when branding for two such different media simultaneously, there are a few things to keep in mind:
DON'T RELY ON MULTIPLE MEDIA FOR YOUR MESSAGE
Remember that, even as you take your brand out onto the Web, not all of your audience will necessarily have access to both media. Keep in mind that while your brand should extend across media, each media outlet should be able to be viewed independently while simultaneously complementing the other.
DON'T JUST 'REPACKAGE' FOR THE WEB
Utilize the strengths and weaknesses of the Web and television to your advantage, but, most importantly, remember that while Web is another 'channel' of sorts, it cannot be treated as television. Avoid the tendency of trying to make the Web another way to view television and instead make it an engaging interactive experience. You'll be extending your brand in an entirely different way.
PRESENT A UNIFIED IDENTITY
Your brand is crucial. Not managing it well in the transition from one medium to another can cause more harm than good. A shoddy Web site will damage your visitor's perception of and loyalty to your on-air brand.
In the television landscape, there are only 50 plus channels available to most viewers. And whether or not they watch them all, viewers are aware of the choices available to them. The Web expands this challenge exponentially: It presents the challenge of having to define your brand among MILLIONS of others that change every day. And, it's important to remember that Web users are drawn by content -- specifically, changing content -- and this variety is how loyalty develops. Repeat Web site visitors, after all, become a loyal community that cannot be found in any other medium. Capitalize on that factor.
COMMIT YOURSELF
Creating a Web site just because everyone else has one is dangerous. So make sure you have a point of view, an identity, and stick with it. You must be prepared to invest in your site both financially and operationally. Television producers and designers have a tendency to design within the mindset of television. To avoid fatal errors, it may be necessary to hire experienced new media personnel or to invest in an outside firm to develop your site. In the long run, this will pay off. In other words, recognize the inherent difference between your channel/site and others -- and cultivate that difference.
Just having a Web site is not enough. The medium is the messenger, not the message. It's a good thing to remember.