PBS Network Refuses "Unhealthy" Ads
PBS Sprout Kids is a 24-hour network that promotes healthy lifestyles for kids. As a result, they do not accept advertising for sugary cereal or other snack foods. Instead, they have advertisements for cars, insurance, and movies. Their reasoning for this is that their advertising is "100% parent-directed" rather than kid-directed. Because Sprout is a 24-hour network, advertisers can run traditional 30-second spots unlike other PBS shows. The network isn't Nielsen-rated, so they collect data through VOD views and visits to their website. Sprout has totaled 350 million VOD views since its launch, meaning it is one of the top five most-watched VOD networks on TV. The network has also reported a 170% increase in unique website visitors.
Can the network's growth be attributed to its ad plan? I think it's a definite possibility, but I also think it's a bit risky to rely on sparking the interest of the parent. Depending on the age of the child, there is a good chance they are watching the network without a parent. There is a lack of connection between the target of the network and the target of the advertising, but it seems to be working. I think this is one fairly rare case that such a divide can exist and still allow the network to thrive. Perhaps other kid-directed networks should consider using a similar ad plan.
posted by Alison @ 7:29 PM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
This is an interesting concept that I think many networks have thought about, but were too afraid to try. I find it hard to believe that it is working for PBS. Researchers spend millions of dollars making sure their ads are placed where their target is going to see them. I agree that this is extremely risky, and I think that over time they will plateau and eventually see a decline in this method's effectiveness.
Personally as long as they are filling up their ad space and getting the amount they want for the spots I think this is a great idea. Even if they are just doing it as a marketing scheme or stand out as long as they are not suffering from as a business I don’t see how it wouldn’t be a smart move. I don’t think any parent would be unhappy they refuse to show commercials for unhealthy products, and I bet most wouldn’t care either way. I would bet though that ones that would care would be the same ones who wouldn’t want the commercials aired in the first place.
One thing you need to consider -- Sprout is designed for young viewers. We're talking about the Sesame Street crowd. Those kids are often watching with their parents, even if their parents are only partially paying attention. In terms of ethics, it seems fine to me to ask parent to "pay the freight" for PBS's high quality programming by watching a few ads -- and the kids aren't being coerced, which is a very positive thing.
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