TV News: Building a Brand

BiB Contributor | Anonymous News Director

I’ve been asked on a number of occasions to explain branding. The two most commonly asked questions are: Why do we have to do it? Why do we do it so often? The answers are a lot simpler than you might think.

Branding, in most rudimentary terms, is a statement of who you are. It is a promise to viewers. It is the product you are selling.

Some have argued branding slogans are stated so often they get in the way of news. However, it is important to understand the most successful stations convey very distinct and consistent messages to viewers. If your branding statement is about being the “Weather station,” for example, viewers need to know to turn to you for weather. If you make a promise and don’t deliver, you’re not giving viewers a reason to come back.

It is also important to remember viewers watch, on average, two newscasts per week. What may seem repetitive to you is usually not repetitive to them. Also, viewers also constantly sample products when it is convenient to them. If they have no idea what you’re trying to sell, they more than likely will not return. Branding is about building trust. Trust develops loyalty. Loyalty builds long, sustained viewership. That is the logic. And that is the goal.