The History Channel: Keeping history new (It’s not an oxymoron.)
The Realization:
After a decade on the air, The History Channel had to face the fact that its core audience was not getting any younger, but younger was needed in order to stay relevant to advertisers. As one solution, the network set out to reinvigorate its very popular marquis series Modern Marvels, which celebrates human ingenuity, imagination, and innovation.
After a decade on the air, The History Channel had to face the fact that its core audience was not getting any younger, but younger was needed in order to stay relevant to advertisers. As one solution, the network set out to reinvigorate its very popular marquis series Modern Marvels, which celebrates human ingenuity, imagination, and innovation.
The Revelation:
In October 2005, a National Academy of Sciences report warned that America was losing its edge in science and technology and called for a national focus on American innovation and ingenuity. This was just the inspiration needed to spur the development of what would become America’s most respected independent inventors’ competition – the Invent Now! Challenge. To better illuminate the idea of modern inventiveness, The History Channel teamed up with the National Inventors Hall of Fame and created the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge. The competition would bring the concept of Modern Marvels to life for new, younger viewers and would let The History Channel assume the role of champion to America’s unsung, independent inventors.
In October 2005, a National Academy of Sciences report warned that America was losing its edge in science and technology and called for a national focus on American innovation and ingenuity. This was just the inspiration needed to spur the development of what would become America’s most respected independent inventors’ competition – the Invent Now! Challenge. To better illuminate the idea of modern inventiveness, The History Channel teamed up with the National Inventors Hall of Fame and created the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge. The competition would bring the concept of Modern Marvels to life for new, younger viewers and would let The History Channel assume the role of champion to America’s unsung, independent inventors.
The Reinvention:
While the idea was huge, the budget for promoting it was not. So Brodeur combined strategically timed media events showcasing the competition’s semi-finalists telling their stories to a wide range of media, both online and off – especially websites whose content is lapped up by millions of young, tech-savvy users a month, or exactly the audience The History Channel needed to attract.
While the idea was huge, the budget for promoting it was not. So Brodeur combined strategically timed media events showcasing the competition’s semi-finalists telling their stories to a wide range of media, both online and off – especially websites whose content is lapped up by millions of young, tech-savvy users a month, or exactly the audience The History Channel needed to attract.
The Results:
Thousands of inventors entered the competition and dozens have secured licensing agreements, sold their inventions, or attracted venture capital. The publicity campaign resulted in more than 268 million media impressions, and Modern Marvels’ ratings exceeded all sponsor guarantee levels. Viewership among the desirable, younger audience increased, and as a result, Modern Marvels has remained, well, modern.
Thousands of inventors entered the competition and dozens have secured licensing agreements, sold their inventions, or attracted venture capital. The publicity campaign resulted in more than 268 million media impressions, and Modern Marvels’ ratings exceeded all sponsor guarantee levels. Viewership among the desirable, younger audience increased, and as a result, Modern Marvels has remained, well, modern.