As CMO of Warner Bros. Television Group, Lisa Gregorian has pulled off some marketing feats. She was part of last year’s giveaway to send a fan of The Big Bang Theory to space. She’s also behind the interactive exhibit called “Television Out of the Box” in L.A., which featured Tony Soprano’s robe and a diner booth from the set of Seinfeld. Gregorian was a keynote speaker at the Banff World Media Festival in June, where she spoke of how to market to—and engage with—television audiences. She spoke with Marketing’s ALICIA ANDROICH before the event about social media, experiential marketing and the delicate world of production integration.
How do you decide which outlet or platform to use to market a show?
We try to evaluate who would be the best potential audience. Targeting a young female who might be on Pinterest would make sense for one show, but for a male-dominated show we might do an AMA on Reddit. It’s really about making sure we have a good understanding of our show, our talent and the journey we want to take our viewers on.
Where does social media fit amongst the marketing platforms you have at your disposal?
Not all shows are made for a strong social platform. But when you have a show like Vampire Diaries, there is a large audience that is socially active on that particular show. With social media… you’ve got access to immediate feedback. That type of feedback is really a phenomenon that’s only started in the last three to five years, and the beauty for a marketing executive is when you get it right, you can amplify your message just by crafting the right message that resonates with the right people. We have certain rules for all of this: it has to be authentic; [with] each community we’re working in to make sure we’re part of that community, we’re not just walking in, trying to take advantage of them, and leaving.
Where do real-world experiences fit in the marketing mix?
The thing with a live, intimate experience is that it’s fun. We’re trying to capture what [fans] felt when they saw the episode, and then what they’re feeling at the moment re-experiencing that. What we love about an event like Comic-Con is that fans are coming into contact with their favourite characters, their favourite actors. There’s a moment there, a really special moment, that you can’t recreate no matter how much social media you have.
Which viewing trends have you excited—or nervous—these days?
The thing that is concerning is the amount of dialogue around second screen as a simultaneous experience. We see it as something that is complementary certainly to sports, often times to reality. But it’s very difficult with a drama series, a scripted series, to have a companion piece that is complementing what you’re seeing. In fact, it’s oftentimes distracting. If you really look at what people are doing, they’re on their email, they’re on Facebook, they’re with friends—they’re not necessarily looking for an experience that takes them into what they’re watching on the television screen. They’re multitasking.
What are some of the rules you live by when it comes to product integration?
If you have rules, there’s an exception to every rule. Don’t get stuck. It’s an ever-evolving area; advertisers are constantly expanding and experimenting. And we’re all trying to figure it out together. Integration is about being a good partner to the network, a good partner to the brands and always, always being responsible for the content that we’re making available to the viewers, and making sure it represents the creative vision of our executive producers. We’re really the balance beam in between the networks and the creative folks at the studio when it comes to integration and integrated marketing initiatives.
This article originally appeared in the July 8 issue of Marketing, on newsstands now.
