When a channel rebrand becomes a lesson in everything boys

THE SITUATION:
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When our Fortune 100 media and entertainment client wanted to rebrand and retarget a cable network channel, it became clear that we first had to better understand a core component of their target – boys.

What really made them tick? Were they just all about pow-bang-boom action and silly humor or was there more to engage them? Turns out, there is so much more. We entered boys’ worlds – we hung out with them and their friends, played games with them, watched TV with them, even shopped with them.

Considering the channel rebranding a blank slate, our client knew that every detail had to be thought through – from programming to merchandise to branding and promotion. They knew that we are continually in-field with moms and kids and would be the ideal partner to help them understand this critical target, and to gather the necessary inputs to create guiding principles for their work ahead.

MAGID APPROACH:
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Put kids at the center (and include parents on the journey)

We spent time with boys (and their parents, separately), garnering deep insights around content consumption, programming, storyline, character creation, branding, merchandise, apparel, and more. We uncovered that boys care deeply about shaping their own identities and are looking to content and merchandise to both shape and reflect these emerging identities. This foundational learning opened doors to invite boys to engage in the new channel, content, and ultimately, merchandise.

Magid recommended a strategy that included unique research methodologies (e.g., ethnographic in-home interviews, shop-alongs, traditional focus groups, triad-sessions) and consulting to gain insight on how to engage the newly defined boy target demographic and ultimately increase viewership.

Post-launch, the channel saw a 27% increase in viewership.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES:
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» Brand guidelines and tenets
» Character traits to create both relatable and aspirational characters
» Content assessments and ongoing maintenance
» Merchandise guidelines to create lines that would have highest appeal to target consumers