08-17-2009, 11:37 PM | #1 | ||
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As the resident television, advertising, and, by extension, image expert- maybe you can explain the new "SciFi" makeover to me.
I get when The Nashville Network becomes The National Network becomes Spike because they completely changed the types of shows they were buying and completely redid their image. Radio stations do this all the time, too- going from something like oldies to rap or Christian to hard rock. But you don't usually see top 40 go to easy listening or rock to alternative- something that's just a half step. You can do that without completely rebranding yourself. So, this brings us back to SciFi/Syfy? Why do that? They still pretty much have mostly science fiction shows. I know they cut the budget quite a bit so bunch of the scripted stuff got cut (Stargate Atlantis) or is coming to an end (Battlestar Galactica) and replaced it with more reality programming. However, the was almost purely cost cutting and the themes remained the same. Not only that, but they still kept quite a few scifi shows (Eureka), other programming (SciFi original movies), and even their reality has a "sci-fi" bend (Ghost Hunters). Even their new, highly promoted (Warehouse 13) and returning (Sanctuary) shows are science fiction. So, why change the name just slightly and try to rebrand when they didn't even move a half step? SI
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08-17-2009, 11:48 PM | #2 | |
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I personally think it's idiotic, but here's the reasoning straight from the horse's mouth (in this case the horse is network President Dave Howe).
Sci Fi Channel Aims to Shed Geeky Image With New Name : In Depth : TVWeek - Television Industry news, TV ratings, analysis, celebrity event photos Quote:
Okay, so what that rigamarole boils down to best I can figure is something like "The focus groups told us this was a good idea & we worked very hard to find groups that would tell us what some people internally thought was brilliant, so this is a win for everybody. Trust us, we're network executives & we know what we're doing." As silly as I think it is, this is probably a fairly low risk move. It's not like their existing audience is likely to abandon them in significant numbers over it, it's largely a silly bit of cosmetic work that won't matter a whole lot either way, but it has the benefit of at least giving them something to talk about to people (viewers, buyers, whomever) who have previously rejected them based on their mental image of the network & of science fiction in general. They can claim "this is different" whether it really is or not.
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08-18-2009, 12:45 AM | #3 |
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One of my favorite logo blogs did like four posts on this rebrand from early on to when it finally was launched. Here's a link to the line of articles, including one company saying "hey, it wasn't us..."
Brand New: Search Results
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08-18-2009, 05:55 AM | #4 |
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I love how they try to say "Oh, but this is how all the kids are texting it!"
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08-18-2009, 07:59 AM | #5 |
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I don't see this as that bad. But, if I was going through the trouble of rebranding I would have gone with something that didn't sound exactly like the thing we were getting away from. They could have come up with some name that made people think Science Fiction / Fantasy.
Maybe turn this post into "What name would you have selected for Sci Fi channel?"
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08-18-2009, 08:07 AM | #6 | |
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Heh...I follow the Brand New feed too.
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08-18-2009, 08:40 AM | #7 |
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It would be nice if they stuck to actual science fiction instead of all the pseudo reality bullshit like ghost hunters and the spinoffs from it. A lot of their movies are about as much sci-fi as my toenails too. "Sharks in Venice" anyone?
I can see some fantasy stuff, but if you're going to have a channel calling itself science fiction network (which obviously they're trying to get away from) then stop showing crap that isn't science fiction. |
08-18-2009, 08:59 AM | #8 |
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God, I looked over the identity standards for Syfy (SCI FI) from that link, and realized one thing.
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08-18-2009, 09:00 AM | #9 | |
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By the same token of course, if they showed nothing but pure sci fi they'd likely already be off the air, or more accurately completely revamped. GH is the highest rated show they've got, and even GH:International is a better draw than any of their originals other than Eureka which can hold its own. And as bad as ECW is as far as wrestling goes, it also pulls a bigger audience than the majority of their other stuff (and is their most watched when GH isn't running new episodes).
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08-18-2009, 09:21 AM | #10 | |
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Through all the idiotic executive jargon that shows he has no idea what he's talking about, I did get a couple of salient points. I think the "having our own brand name" kindof makes sense. They forgot that if it's a stupid one- it doesn't really matter, but I get the idea of "nothing else is named Syfy so if you see that name, you know it's ours if you're seeing an ad, searching online, etc". As you said, it's a low risk move. It's not as if people were wedded to the SciFi channel name, it was the programming. And they didn't really change the brand, just the brand name. And not even by much- just a little. This reminds me a lot of the KU rebranding a couple of years ago. They paid some ad firm some stupid amount around $175K for a new "visual identity" which barely tweaked the logo. For the KU story, however, there are some other funny sidelines. One, it was, in theory, endowment money earmarked for that purpose (god forbid it go towards something useful- why not flush it down the drain!) so that's how it was going to be spent. Two, it turns out the lettering picked looks identical to Kutztown University, except it's blue instead of red. Good to see that ad agency spent that money... going online and basically copying another logo. And, ultimately, I think the big goal the University accomplished is that they showed how much of a whore they are to the athletic department because at the end of the day, they made some rules stating that only the athletic department and alumni association can still use the Jayhawk logo while everyone else has to use the "KU". Good job, guys- way to kill off use of your most recognizeable symbol. That'll help the advertising. So, like the KU instance- not much was changed and some ad agency convinced some stupid executive to pay a crapload of money to accomplish very little? SI
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08-18-2009, 09:34 AM | #11 |
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Their shows still generally suck which is the main problem
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08-18-2009, 11:08 AM | #12 |
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I love the way that article takes the network's demographic (or what they're calling their heritage) and essentially murders them as dorks and losers...then claims they're going to build off that solid audience into a new demographic.
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08-18-2009, 11:09 AM | #13 | |
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lol good point. then again, dorks & losers are fanatically loyal even after they get trashed (says this dork)
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08-18-2009, 11:22 AM | #14 |
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I personally hate the new name. Every time I see it I get irritated.
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08-18-2009, 11:32 AM | #15 |
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Sci-Fi original shows are so hit or miss. Mostly miss. Occaisonally they'll hit on a good one (Eureka), but they love their shit (Warehouse 13). Much like their mini-series track record. 90% putrid, with the once-in-a-blue-moon awesome one. |
08-18-2009, 11:40 AM | #16 |
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Is it really bad to have a corner on the geek market? Is it bad to be known as a geeky network? Feels like channels are too worried about having a more broader reach than dominating their demographic.
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08-18-2009, 11:42 AM | #17 | |
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"Dune" springs to mind immediately here.
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08-18-2009, 11:50 AM | #18 |
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So they thought that SciFi was confusing and then that's not how it's texted?????
All I know is SciFi, used to be pronounced, 'skiffy'. That pretty much went the way of the dinosaur back in the early 80s/late 70s and has been pronounced 'sigh fy' by pretty much everyone that I have ever spoken with, unless they are some mid 60s Star Trek nerd that still lives with their mom. SciFi is Syfy is SciFi and if you are too freaking lazy to add 1 (one) more alpha character in your text message, you are nothing short of moron that does not deserve to even own a tv. End of line...
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08-18-2009, 11:51 AM | #19 | |
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Pretty much yeah on both counts. That's because the subset that truly counts as "the geek market" is too small to generate enough revenue to be profitable at the cost of running a network and even moreso because there are other niches you could take a run at dominating that are larger & therefore more lucrative with the same network resources.
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08-18-2009, 11:59 AM | #20 | |
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I would rather have that market cornered than to be a jack of all trades network that doesn't have a loyal following. |
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08-18-2009, 12:00 PM | #21 | |
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And yet as recently as I guess it would be 2 years +/- ago their most watched original program ever was the almost universally panned Tin Man. Point being of course that quality does not necessarily equal success, nor does a lack of quality indicate failure.
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08-18-2009, 12:04 PM | #22 | |
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panned by critics or panned as far as it brought in very little in terms of eyeballs + advertising dollars? how are we defining success? critically-acclaimed shows? or "butts in the seats" advertising $$?
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08-18-2009, 12:21 PM | #23 |
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08-18-2009, 12:22 PM | #24 |
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I just read that piece a few days ago when trying to ascertain why they made this switch. I understand trying to appeal to a female audience, I guess - but the statement made by that TV historian is unbelievably offensive.
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08-18-2009, 12:35 PM | #25 | |
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Panned by critics was what I had in mind, although I'll concede that I almost certainly overstated the criticism originally. Still, it was soundly ripped by critics in any number of quarters ("semi-surreal adaptation of The Wizard of Oz stitched together from bits of The Matrix, Blade Runner, and Snow White to create a brooding fantasy that — understandably given the variety of influences — proves a bit of a mess" and "a "hopeless opus" whose "pacing is largely funereal") It delivered the viewers though as I mentioned, the most watched miniseries of 2007.
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08-18-2009, 12:40 PM | #26 |
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i'd argue that "critical reception" is overrated.
now keep in mind i didn't see that miniseries, or the tin man one, but i've gotten to the point in my life where i discount entirely the reviews by critics of anything, and i hardly think that i am alone in that case.
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08-18-2009, 01:23 PM | #27 |
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I own the Dune miniseries, it's quite good.
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08-18-2009, 01:28 PM | #28 |
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me 2. both Children of Dune & Dune. As well as the David Lynch film version AND the extended-version of the David Lynch version (unreleased). Although that's on VHS and god knows where one can find a VHS player these days
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08-18-2009, 01:29 PM | #29 | |
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Yeah I have children too. Not as good as Dune but still worth watching every once and a while. I don't own the film, not sure if I've seen the extended version, will have to look into that. I still have VHS capabilities when I'm in Maryland - gotta love popping in Jurassic Park. |
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08-18-2009, 01:34 PM | #30 | ||
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Dude, where exactly was it ever pronounced 'skiffy'? I've been reading Sci Fi since the early '70s and have never ever ever ever heard anyone call it skiffy even as a joke. I'm not doubting you here but again, I never ran into that at all. My mom was a huge '60s Star Trek trekkie and I never heard her say skiffy either. Fascinating. I just googled skiffy and they say it's the opposite of what you said. They said it got started in the late '70s and early '80s and was well respected by the late '90s. This would explain why I never heard it of course but I wouldn't call the term widely accepted and doubt it ever was more than a fringe thing. Quote:
hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiffy
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08-18-2009, 01:34 PM | #31 |
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the extended version of the lynch film really isn't all that worth it. adds a couple more scenes is all, or a few lines here & there.
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08-18-2009, 01:38 PM | #32 |
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DT I'm pretty sure you should make your WW rule have to do with dune somehow
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08-18-2009, 01:39 PM | #33 |
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oooooh yeah? like what? i need ideas for my rule/role
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08-18-2009, 01:40 PM | #34 |
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we haven't had ww:dune yet have we? that's something i should hop on!
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08-18-2009, 01:44 PM | #35 | |
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Someone was going to start it a long time ago, sal I think? I was asking hoops about it because it was one of the old game themes I was interested in, but it never got run. I'd be all about having a Dune game in the near future. As far as a Dune-related rule, you'll have to let me think for a few. |
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08-18-2009, 01:54 PM | #36 | |
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I'm drifting way off the subject here I guess (but certainly within the spirit of the skiffy realm), but I wonder how a Logan's Run theme would play out for WW? I'll be wondering from a distance 'cause I doubt I'll ever have my head together long enough at a time to play WW myself but I figured I'd at least throw the idea into play for those who do.
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08-18-2009, 01:57 PM | #37 |
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oooh - that could be fun!! Particularly with some adaptations - have some sort of a "maze" type thing for the villagers to get through in order to escape...oooh
yet another SciFi classic. Man I remember the first time I saw that movie...*nostalgia*
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08-18-2009, 02:45 PM | #38 | |
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That's actually what I meant, just did not explain it very well. I remember watching a documentary on Discovery or the History channel where they interviewed various authors and film makers and that they were always trying to distinguish between 'legitimate' science fiction and 'sci fi'/skiffy. Over time, science fiction and sci-fi melded, but, without the 'derogitory' being attached to it and skiffy went away. That's how I remember it at least. I'll take wiki over my memory any day though.
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08-18-2009, 02:55 PM | #39 | |
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I like making mazes. |
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08-18-2009, 03:01 PM | #40 |
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thinking a maze + shai halud...maybe a party of folks trapped in the desert, or else something with "work" you had to get done as far as "harvesting melange"
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08-18-2009, 07:11 PM | #41 | |
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I knew that there was a divide over exactly what science fiction was. I remember Asimov ( among others notably Heinlein ) stating that science fiction was fiction based on and around sound science. THese authors had science backgrounds so this type of elitism makes sense especially in a maligned genre. These authors and their readers would get upset when someone set something in space and it was automatically got labelled sci fi. Star Wars was NOT science fiction just a piece of conventional fiction in space by this definition. I'd always assumed sci-fi/fantasy was more of a nod to this than it was a specific recognition that elves belonged in the same category as sci fi but again, I Have no cites that say this, it's just been my understanding from what I read years ago.
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