Assignment:
Rebrand REELZ
REELZ COMPANY HISTORY
REELZ is an independent entertainment network owned by Hubbard Media Group, with headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Most of REELZ’s programming focuses on documentaries and movies based on the entertainment industry’s scandals and celebrity gossip. REELZ is home to original programming titles as well as acquired reality programming from other broadcast agencies. The network’s first miniseries was The Kennedys. The network shortened the name to REELZ in 2012.
Some of REELZ’s popular original content includes; Autopsy: The Last Hours Of…, Breaking the Band, Serial Psyche, The Real Story of …, and Scandal Made Me Famous.
REELZ is available on all major satellite and cable providers, which allows them to reach a large audience. REELZ also has a YouTube channel for streaming customers and posts content to social media platforms.
DIFFERENTIATION STATEMENT
“REELZ offers a wide variety of original programming, celebrity stories and reality entertainment series. Unlike our competitors, REELZ digs deep to find the stories that viewers find value in.”
CHALLENGE
REELZ has decided to rebrand themselves and add new content to their programming lineup. The goal is to modernize the brand identity into something more recognizable and meaningful to connect to our audience.
The REELZ brand currently touts an edgier, masculine brand with “darker” design elements and an aggressive tone. Many of the shows focus on failure and success, murder, crime, drugs and sex scandals—with a sprinkle of The Golden Girls here and there.
SOLUTION
While the existing logo and creative has classic “film noir” characteristics, the challenge is to explore a brand identity that will be more inclusive to the new programming, have a softer and approachable look without isolating the current audience. The new rebrand will be reflective of all of REELZ’s programming and personality. The network will be adding new original programs to target the channel’s prominent demographic—millennial females.
The new lineup will feature exciting new gossip series as I Told You So and Hilton Holidays, a vacation destination series hosted by Paris Hilton as she travels the world giving travel and fashion advice. REELZ programming will still focus on Hollywood stories, documentaries and reality television series
BUDGET-TBD
CHANNELS
The new brandmark and brand identity, along with the latest programming will be visible on streaming services such as ROKU, satellite providers such as DirecTV, cable providers, online services, social media platforms, and podcasts. The brand mark will be visible on menu screens, device apps, digital and print advertising. A quick read and brand recognition by the viewer is of utmost importance.
AUDIENCE/TARGET MARKET
Many consumers know the REELZ channel, those numbers are not reflective of its popularity. REELZ is most popular among millennials.* REELZ will also focus on viewers who routinely watch other channels and programming, such as E! network.
- Popularity among men is 24%
- Popularity among women is 26%
VOICE & PERSONALITY Quirky, Approachable, Energetic, Real, Up-to-Date
TONE Witty, Informative, Ambitious, Charismatic
*source: https://today.yougov.com/topics/media/explore/tv_network/Reelz_Channel
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
E! When it comes to entertainment that focuses on celebrity lives, pop culture and gossip, E! rules the land. In E!’s early days, the network was known for The Howard Stern Show, helping to cement the network among pop culture audiences.
Now the faces of E! network are the Kardashians and Kylie Jenner. Jenner even has her own page on E!’s website.
The program lineup that E! airs includes original programming based on celebrities, child stars, news and fashion. With ties to NBC, E! has acquired hit TV series such as Sex in the City, The Voice, and Fashion Star.
This is the area where REELZ will have to bring their A-Game…and their A-List.
E! even offers up shopping and fashion tips with links to items on their website called “Shop with E!” that can have their viewers wearing or looking like their favorite celebrities. Another weakness that REELZ lack is to connect to their audience on a consumer level.
E! is right there with its celebrities on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube when it comes to social media. E!’s target audience is always just a click, post or swipes away from their content and what celebrities are up to.
Click here to see REELZ's Rebranded logo
Brand Book and Logo useage