I love it when a book gives rare insight into areas I wouldn't normally have access to. That's what Andy Bryant and Charlie Mawer do in The TV Brand Builders. Marketing strategies are revealed o highlight the thinking behind some of the digital media campaigns and television promotions we have seen on TV in recent times. I rather liked the addition of real stories behind the ratings war. A lot of the interviews were little mundane, however there were some that underlined fascinating facts regarding Dr Who relaunch, and ideas from DreamWorks and HBO.

I was very interesting in this book to see how the lessons would apply to new types of media, such as podcasts and podcast networks. As a US reader, I appreciated the mix of US and UK channels profiled in the book. While I wasn't familiar with the UK channels mentioned, the book did a very good job of explaining them so even without first-hand knowledge there were lessons to be learned.

This insightful book shows you the behind-the-scenes story of how TV is marketed to attract audiences. Written by professionals in the field, it is an interesting look at the complex world of TV branding. It’s not just about attracting viewers; they have to keep them interested and keep them returning to their channel. Using examples from both the U.S. and the U.K., the authors show us how various networks and channels have made themselves more recognizable and attractive to viewers. The number of viewers, called “eyeballs” in industry slang, is important, but so is their loyalty to a particular channel or network. Once a viewer finds a program they like, the goal of the marketers is to get them to stick with that channel. Logo design, program choices, theme, overall message, and look of the channel are all part of this trade. Without getting overly technical, the authors show us strategies that we could use, if we were TV brand builders, to accomplish the goal of keeping viewers glued to our channel. It’s a fascinating story and will help you understand more about all the work that goes on before the audience even sees a program for the first time. I recommend it for classes studying media and communications, as well as anyone interested in how to market a brand to consumers.