Star Appeal Attracts 18 to 34 Demo to Scripps Networks

Nina Spezzaferro writes the JackMyers.com 18 to 24 Insight blog.

Scripps Network executives proudly declared at Tuesday's upfront presentation that their lifestyle brands (HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Great American Country) enjoyed their best quarter ever in attracting engaged, passionate and younger viewers. The network's five cable networks, cleverly branded as Life to the Power of Five, make the basics of food and shelter entertaining and often dramatic and competitive. Maslow and his hierarchy of human needs would be proud.

The theme of the presentation was increased user retention among a continually larger and younger base of viewers – especially at HGTV and Food Network. Both networks are at an advantage when it comes to winning over a younger demographic, considering monumental events -- such as first apartment, first home, first dinner party and first decorating project -- call for a lot of guidance. Young and domestically-inclined viewers want to make sure they're doing the job right from an authority that they know and trust, while being entertained.

CBS Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves recently declared 18 to 34 viewers a "bullshit demographic." As a member of the 18 to 34 demographic, I personally was jarred and insulted. Conversely, I was pleased when Jon Steinlauf, Scripps Network Senior Vice President of Ad Sales told me that advertisers were increasingly seeking to reach younger viewers, although many in the traditional media community constantly press for marketers and agencies to shift budgets to the 35+ and even 55+ demo who have greater disposable income. While younger viewers may have less discretionary income than their older counterparts, JackMyers Emotional Connections™ Research, Simmons Research, and several comparable studies have consistently proven younger audiences are more likely to allow their purchases to be swayed by lifestyle programming, especially when hosted by an authority that young viewers know and trust. For this demographic, Scripps Networks' personalities represent displaced parents who happen to have design and culinary degrees and a production team. Before you know it, we forget that Rachael Ray is paid to tell us she loves Dunkin' Donuts.

Among respondents surveyed in the 2007 JackMyers Emotional Connections Research, a comparatively high percentage of 18 to 34 viewers say they are likely to purchase a product or service offered during HGTV's competition series, Design Star, which is also in the Top 10 for Emotional Connections among teens 15 to 17 (among programs measured).

Scripps Networks hope to continue growing their younger audience and lowering their networks' median ages by offering short-form content online as well as on mobile platforms. Deanna Brown, President of Scripps Interactive, mused to brand executives: "Imagine seeing your clip on an iPhone or on Facebook. Or imagine a stencil of our content for your advertising on a user's desktop. This is what we're calling new, new media."

While Food Network emphasized "new" and the youthful and attractive Dave Lieberman (host of Good Deal), it failed to reinforce the appeal to younger demographics of no-frills cooking shows and veterans such as Rachael Ray and Paula Deen. Relationships with the Food Network brand forged during childhood, and memories of our moms watching Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals seem to give her a high resonance among the 18 to 34 demo that Scripps is actively targeting. While the network's advertisers may not be targeting the under 18 market, the passion many children and teens express for Food Network programming and content is important validation of the company's decision to more aggressively target 18 to 34 year olds. Food Network President, Brooke Johnson said, "Our strategy in primetime is to get younger and more evenly split between men and women. We've done that through competition shows, through shows with challenge, drama and suspense," such as Iron Chef America and Ultimate Recipe Showdown.

Johnson added, "I'm very proud that we have been able to stay true to the brand while bringing fresh ideas, fresh formats and fresh faces to our consumers and to you."

HGTV has also "upped the ante on talent, launched a dozen new series and wrapped all of this programming in fresh, new talent, said network president Jim Samples, who joined the company last year. Samples emphasized the strategy has been successful in attracting a younger audience in the first quarter, with adult 18 to 34 impressions increasing 17 percent while adult 18 to 49 viewers grew 14 percent.

Again, while newer programming -- such as Design Starand the soon-to-debut interactive series, Rate My Space (which invites online users to share decorating ideas and rate photos and video clips of rooms) -- may appeal to younger viewers, much of HGTV's recent successes in attracting the younger demo can also be attributed to the growing popularity of established talent such as transported TLC veterans Carter Oosterhouse, Vern Yip and Genevieve Gorder. HGTV's median age is 47 while TLC's is 41.*

*Source: Comcast Spotlight

For more information on JackMyers Emotional Connections™ Research, visit www.jackmyers.com. Emotional Connections is a trademark of Jack Myers.