WNEG-TV Media & Entertainment – May 2010

Intro
WNEG-TV is a commercially independent television station operating in the Northeast Georgia market reaching 1.7 million households. In 2008, it lost its CBS affiliation, was purchased by the University of Georgia and relocated its studios to the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, home of the Peabody awards. Through all of this, WNEG-TV lost its core viewership and many advertisers. HSBT, UGA’s student-run advertising agency, was brought in to increase awareness, interest and viewership in the station. Leading a group of nine students, I was the account executive and head planner on the job.

Context
After losing CBS network programming, WNEG-TV resorted to airing second run programming like The Hills and Degrassi, syndicated talk shows, MGM movies and self produced local news shows. With a fresh start on the university campus, WNEG-TV wanted a campaign to increase viewership. But, after conducting a marketing audit, we realized that in order to increase viewership, WNEG-TV needed to be overhauled. It needed a brand purpose and product offering relevant to the target audience and differentiated among competitors. Consumers needed a reason to pick WNEG-TV over the other 100+ channels available on the tube. The project grew to become an all-encompassing realignment of the company with aims to develop a brand vision to inform and guide every aspect of WNEG-TV’s business, from programming, to marketing, to sales.

Research
While Northeast Georgia is a niche market, the consumers it represents are not homogeneous. How could a TV station best serve an area that stretches from the college town of Athens to rural Toccoa to Gainesville, the chicken capital of the world? We knew that before we could create a television channel for the community to share, we needed to understand how the market is segmented and what needs are shared amongst all. It was critical to unearth the key insight that answered the question: What makes Northeast Georgians tick?

Research methods: Nielsen PRIZM, U.S. Census data, focus groups, competitive audit.

Discovery
Northeast Georgians are pound of their community, their family ties to the region and the University of Georgia. They do not relate to the metropolis of Atlanta and feel disenchanted with Atlanta based TV stations, which only cover the area for sports victories or murders.

Opportunity
As the only hyper-local TV station in the area, WNEG-TV has the unique opportunity to be the best in the world at providing relevant news, weather, sports and entertainment programming to Northeast Georgia residents.

Brand Strategy
WNEG-TV’s core purpose should be to build healthier, better-informed and more prosperous communities in Northeast Georgia. With original, hyper-local programming centered on Northeast Georgia interests and affairs, WNEG-TV will be able to make a promise to support and bring together the diversity that exists among market segments in Northeast Georgia. This strategy connects the goodwill of the University of Georgia to the brand and recognizes the uniqueness of all communities that make up Northeast Georgia. Tailoring the brand message and the station’s programming to specific Northeast Georgia target audience segments, businesses and residents will feel a sense of community.

Product Strategy
WNEG-TV serves the citizens of Athens, Gainesville and Toccoa, Georgia who live, work and play in their towns. These citizens are routinely neglected by Atlanta television stations and lack news and entertainment programming that specifically focuses on their community and is relevant to their day-to-day lives. WNEG-TV, with the resources of the University of Georgia, uses the local communities as its stage, providing original programming that is Northeast Georgia centric.

Sample shows:
• Where in the World: Study Abroad with UGA Students
• Northeast Georgia Community Round-table
• In the Neighborhood: Exploring Local Establishments
• WNEG Bandstand
• Dorm Invasions: UGA
• Bulldog Game Day Classics
• Northeast Georgia’s Famous Places

Creative Strategy
The driving force behind all of WNEG-TV’s communications will be to support and bring together the diverse family of Northeast Georgia communities. To advertise efficiently and effectively to the target market, WNEG-TV must focus communication messages on promoting their exclusive Northeast Georgia hyper-local programming. In addition, it is important to focus individually on certain locations within the Northeast Georgia community.

Creative Brief
What is the advertising expected to accomplish?
Position WNEG-TV as Northeast Georgia’s quality TV station.

Who are we talking to?
30-65 year old residents of Athens, Gainesville and Toccoa who are proud of calling Northeast Georgia home. They’re involved with their community and infatuated with The University of Georgia.

What is going on in the market?
Northeast Georgia is under-served by the media. The community is represented by local newspapers, magazines, radio and websites, none of which capture the culture quite like TV can.

What is the key insight?
What’s on TV is irrelevant to Northeast Gerogians. They’re annoyed the programming they get only covers Atlanta: how many murders happened, what politician went to jail, etc.

What is the idea we need to communicate?
WNEG-TV get’s Northeast Georgia.

What substantiation makes the message believable?
WNEG-TV is based in Athens, at UGA in Northeast Georgia. Shows cover Northeast Georgia affairs and interests. All programs take place in Northeast Georgia, everything from news to sports to weather to entertainment.

Creative

Print

Web

OOH

Direct, Guerrilla, Promotion

Result
The pitch was successful and WNEG-TV has rolled out the campaign starting with out-of-home, print, online and social media tactics. Organizationally, the brand strategy has given WNEG-TV a clear sense of direction, a common purpose and a rallying cry.