TV’s annual season for launching new primetime shows has returned, but the days of inescapable promotion for the fall slates from ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox are of the past. In their place, broadcast marketers have prioritized hyper-personalized campaigns that funnel awareness pushes—highlighting NBC’s “Brilliant Minds” to existing watchers of procedurals, for example, or ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey” to fans of Ryan Murphy shows.

While prime time distribution used to be a powerful marketing tool in itself, now network shows are competing with the hundreds of streaming productions, many that look more like movies than traditional TV, as well as the century-deep archives of entertainment hosted on top streamers. 

But as media companies struggle to solve the puzzle of offsetting declines in their linear businesses with that of streaming, network franchises may be more important than ever despite changing viewer behaviors. In contrast to the multi-million dollar productions plopped onto platforms and soon forgotten that have defined early streaming, viewers are digging deep into the archives and bringing new life to legacy series.

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Stuck in the middle, broadcast marketers are now tasked with appealing to their tried-and-true linear viewers while establishing new practices to catch the attention of the streaming masses. However, standing out amongst the binge-era glut is easier said than done, and networks risk losing decades-old brand recognition.

Whose brand is it anyway?

CBS is a lone wolf among broadcasters this year in mounting a broad campaign for its fall primetime slate. The network’s “You’re Laughing at CBS” highlights its returning series (The Neighborhood” and “Ghosts”) and new comedies (“Poppa’s House” and “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage”). Through videos that will air on TV and social media, the shows’ casts urge viewers to escape everyday turmoil by tuning into CBS.

The campaign also features more unconventional marketing—a comedy night in Los Angeles hosted by show talent; a free hub on Paramount+ to watch each comedy’s premiere (from Oct. 22 to Nov. 4); a revamped version of CBS’s eye logo featuring a laughing face; and a petition to Merriam-Webster to redefine sitcom as “sit-down comedy,” a reference to CBS’s broader “Premiere Week” campaign, which involves a giant couch traversing the country as a reminder of the cozy vibes a night in with the TV offers.

But largely, network brand campaigns meant to entice viewers into tuning in for blocks of content, such as NBC’s “Must See TV” or ABC’s “TGIF,” are a thing of the past, as marketers leading campaigns for ABC, NBC and Fox instead prioritize promoting individual series. 

“There’s a philosophy that people watch shows, not networks,” said Michael Benson, president and chief marketing officer, CBS. But Benson said the pendulum has continued to swing too far one way or the other, and that current viewing habits require a fine balance of both show and brand-level marketing for broadcasters.

When people sit down to watch TV, they exhibit two behaviors, according to Benson. The first, in which the viewer knows the show they want to watch and watches just that show, isn’t swayed by branding. The second viewing behavior is where marketers win or lose consumers—a viewer wants to watch TV, but doesn’t know what to turn on.

“Platforms like Netflix have done a really good job at helping audiences understand who and what they have—people start their journey there,” said Benson. “There’s plenty of times when I want to watch a comedy, but I’m not quite sure who’s got good comedy … That’s when, especially in a multi-platform world, we’re seeing brand marketing become just as important as show marketing.”

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The multi-platform nature of modern TV has evolved the role of the shows themselves within network groups’ businesses. Broadcast marketers from ABC, NBC and Fox have shifted away from emphasizing brand, slate and time messaging because streaming has drastically shifted how media companies can monetize shows.

At the base level, this means including “ABC, stream on Hulu,” on each piece of marketing for ABC’s network shows. But the maelstrom of brands swirling on the platform isn’t as simple. Hulu houses its own originals, ABC and FX shows (some of which are exclusive to Hulu). The network’s shows can also be accessed through Disney+ with its integration of Hulu content. And the marketing teams for each division work closely on how their campaigns can intersect or boost one another, said Erin Weir, executive VP, marketing, ABC and Disney Entertainment Television.

Marketing ABC content within Hulu’s walls requires approaching the audience differently from those on broadcast based on their viewing habits, according to Weir. For example, ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey,” which premieres Sept. 26 on ABC (next day on Hulu) is produced by Ryan Murphy. Weir can tap Hulu’s viewer data for insights on how to best reach those who have watched the trove of Murphy productions on the platform, or can serve recommendations next to the new FX series “Grotesquerie” and the latest installment of “American Horror Story,” plus anyone binging “Glee,” “Nip/Tuck” or “Pose.”

Within the broadcast ecosystem, Weir said the job of promoting new shows, such as ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey” or “High Potential,” remains a task of asking those already watching to keep watching. And broadcast still retains mass audiences for its entertainment programming.

While many of the networks’ fall shows premiere in the coming weeks, those that have already launched or previewed pilots have given broadcasters ammo in battling linear doomsayers. CBS’s “Matlock” starring Kathy Bates drew 7.73 million viewers on Sunday night, per Nielsen Live+Same Day. Fox’s “Rescue: Hi-Surf” premiered to 4.7 million on Sunday, and 3.59 million tuned into ABC’s “High Potential” last Tuesday, per Nielsen.

Plus, “High Potential” viewership leaped to 11.5 million when accounting for three days of viewing across linear and streaming, according to Nielsen.

Networks’ Anatomy

Broadcast marketers have found themselves in the role of educators as they now sell a curated selection of shows and are tasked with telling viewers the multiple platforms that carry them.

“It used to be a lot easier when I needed to pull people into [Fox],” said Darren Schillace, president of marketing, Fox Entertainment. “Now I have to push the shows to the people, and I’ve got to find them on their terms when they’re ready.”

For Fox, that means messaging that looks similar to ABC’s: “Fox, next day on Hulu” (in 2023, Fox and Hulu renewed a deal for the streamer to carry Fox’s in-season entertainment programming). Schillace said that Fox’s internal research shows that consumers now associate Fox and Hulu together despite the platform being owned by Disney.

“If you don’t have the strong show brand, that’s where you’re going to suffer—the platform is secondary,” said Schillace. “[Viewers] have to remember ‘Rescue,’ [showrunner] John Wells—something that will trigger a great search term, and they’ll find it.”

While the base math of linear and streaming is that a big audience equals more ad dollars, the means to getting there are different. Success in broadcast is still often tied to short-term viewership for each episode. However, streaming has transformed shows into brands themselves, in which marketers use new episodes almost as promotional tools rather than the product itself.

While driving live viewership to prime time is still a priority, “we think the real value is in the bulk audience, no matter where they watch it, because it actually drives the lifetime value of the series,” said CBS’s Benson. “The bigger the audiences are across platforms, the better it is for our business.”

Tapping into a new season to draw new viewership to past seasons impacts strategy across channels, and requires curation for the different behaviors for each, said Margaret Walker, senior VP, NBC brand strategy and audience growth, NBCUniversal. 

Walker pointed to “Law & Order,” which premieres its 24th season next month. Promoting the show means being in step with other teams—implementing new strategies for cross-promotion in cable, where past seasons are running in syndication, and changing messaging in streaming so binge viewers know a new season is coming.

These new considerations are also applicable to new series. For example, Walker anticipates two of NBC’s new shows—“Brilliant Minds,” a medical procedural starring Zachary Quinto and “St. Denis Medical,” a workplace sitcom—to resonate more on different platforms.

“Brilliant Minds” is a procedural that will fit in naturally with what broadcast audiences are already watching, said Walker, whereas “St. Denis Medical” is a comedy in the style of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” which have become staples of repeat viewing in streaming. This means that “St. Denis Medical” is being promoted broadly across platforms while marketing resources for “Brilliant Minds” are being concentrated to win over the broadcast audience first, with cross-promotion in other broadcast programming.

The key is figuring out how to balance viewership numbers out over time across linear and streaming.

A show like “Grey’s Anatomy,” which debuts its 21st season this week, is a perfect recipe for streaming success. The buzz around new episodes draws existing ”Grey’s” fans to watch and also new viewers to binge it.

How Hulu marketed long-running ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ this year

Marketers of long-running network TV are no longer promoting single seasons or episodes, but rather are building out the long-term value of series like individual brands that ultimately grow the parent media company’s cross-portfolio audience. That shift is crucial for appealing to advertisers as digital platforms continue to increase their share of ad spend against TV.

As such, ABC’s Weir said the timing of marketing for shows has shifted substantially. Rather than promoting fall premieres months in advance as networks would pre-pandemic, the marketing post-premiere has become “much longer as people are continuing to discover shows,” said Weir.

“No matter where you are in watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ we want to make sure that we are engaging with those viewers and letting them know that new episodes are here, and communicating with them in a way that feels accessible and join-able for the show at any point in time,” said Weir. This also means gone are the days when week-to-week marketing might tease the answer to last week’s big twist to avoid spoilers for those still catching up.

It’s also changed the way broadcast marketers time their media, said Weir. A show may premiere on a Tuesday, but the marketer said if she sees higher consumption over the weekend, ABC will shift its marketing to that time.

The (share of) Voice

To break through the clutter, some marketing practices have remained in the broadcast space. 

Experiential marketing around new releases remains a key priority. ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey” has leaned into luxury experiences to match the elite cruise setting of its show, including signage at resort pools and upgrading bookings through ticketing sites, Uber rides and surprising passengers booted from overbooked planes with private jet rides.

NBC has brought interactive experiences to fans of “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: SVU” to sustain interaction between the franchise and consumers. In March, NBCU’s 30 Rock plaza became “Olivia Benson Plaza” for the 25th anniversary of “SVU.” And a faux NYC subway station will host “Law & Order” fans in Boston next month.

Across the networks, teasing new shows during sports broadcasts, which remain linear TV’s rock amidst fickle viewership, has been a constant. NBC utilized the Olympics to promote “Brilliant Minds” and “St. Denis Medical.” Fox aired extended clips of “Universal Basic Guys” and “Rescue: Hi-Surf” during NFL games and coverage of the presidential debate on Fox News. 

ABC’s Weir said releasing extended clips has also proven effective in getting audiences hooked, but has prioritized TikTok in doing so. However, much remains to be seen in how broadcast brands are able to win over young consumers.

CBS’s internal research has shown that viewers under 40 don’t recognize the CBS eye logo, Benson said. This presents separate opportunities for branding, including continuing to develop the classic CBS brand with older audiences (CBS, which began in radio, turns 100 in 2027; the median CBS viewer age is 64.6 years old). Meanwhile, The Eye Network has a clean slate for marketing primetime shows with young viewers, Benson said. CBS has been leaning into this by making the first episodes of its fall comedies free on Paramount+, putting episodes on YouTube and screening episodes on college campuses.

Fox, meanwhile, generated views for its new animated series “Universal Basic Guys” by partnering with Instagram influencers willing to do rowdy stunts.

Ultimately, the transition of viewership from linear to streaming has been, as NBC’s Walker put it, “long and painful and slow.” The transformation remains a continuous process of media companies exploring how best to monetize TV across means of distribution. And TV’s core network brands will have to continue transforming to remain relevant to viewers.

“Who knows—in 10 years, there could be another way that people want to watch,” said Walker, adding that she isn’t worried about continued changes in TV distribution. “It’s not like ‘Law & Order’ all of a sudden ceases to exist—I don’t know what it would take for that to happen.”