Marketing

The Diplomat on Alibi

The Diplomat on Alibi

At UKTV we pride ourselves on delivering bespoke, innovative and impactful marketing campaigns which punch above their weight and are critical to the success of our commissions.

The channel marketing team will be responsible for delivering the marketing campaign, and they will collaborate closely with you and the Commissioning Editor throughout production. They have a deep understanding of the target audience and the dynamics of the channel brand and as such will be able to deliver the best possible strategy for a campaign that will build awareness and reach the largest possible audience.

The Life Cycle of a Marketing Campaign

Once a commission is green lit, the marketing team will hold an internal hook meeting to determine the USP that will attract the target audience to the show.

This hook informs the creative brief which goes out to one of the agencies that we regularly work with. This brief will then steer the creative for the marketing campaign. At this point, major campaigns would usually undergo some research to sense check that the creative works for the target audience.

Alongside this process, UKTV's media planning department, and when appropriate, our off air media agency will generate plans to complement the creative and reach the biggest and most relevant audience possible. This will be a bespoke mix appropriate to the commission, and could include anything from a mixture of commercial TV, print, outdoor, digital or a stunt.

Once these plans and the creative are agreed, production of the marketing materials will begin. This is based on the media requirements for the campaign and could involve anything from a print shoot involving the talent or a promo cut from delivered materials.

The campaign will typically launch two weeks ahead of TX.

What we need from you

The specific needs from marketing for each commission will be outlined when we meet you at the pre-production meeting; however here are some rough guidelines for some of the things we might ask for:

Throughout the production period we need as much information as possible to help inform the briefing process. This can be anything that brings the series to life, from synopses to scripts to clips. We would like to meet with you and the Commissioning Editor before the hook meeting so we can ensure that we are fully under the skin of the idea.

If the commission is talent-led, as part of the contractual process we will seek to secure some time with them so we can shoot on air promos or stills for off air creative. We may also ask them to increase their social media presence ahead of TX or live tweet during TX.

We have a standard set of deliverables, outlined in your producer pack; however the key thing is that we receive final delivered episodes up to twelve weeks out from TX to allow us to use the material to cut an on air promo.

Every commission is different, and we always aim to deliver the most innovative marketing campaign possible, and so we would also like to discuss with you what else could be possible to help drive viewing. For example, behind the scenes clips can create a buzz prior to TX or on-set visits might work as a competition prize for the target audience.

FAQ

Do all commissions get a poster campaign?

Every commission will get a bespoke campaign that is designed to reach the target audience within the parameters of the channel brand. No two are alike, so, sometimes a poster campaign might be the right route, or there might be a stronger plan using a mix of other media, social media or a stunt.

How involved can the production company be in the creative for the marketing campaign?

It is incredibly important that we collaborate with you as much as possible so that we can design the best possible marketing campaign for the series.

Why do you need to receive delivery of materials so far in advance?

We need to ensure delivery of materials twelve weeks before TX to allow time to cut a clip based promo.

Will we have one point of contact with the marketing team?

Yes, there will always be one main point person

If you ask for anything outside the standard deliverables, is there any extra budget available to the production company?

Yes, there can be, and we will always ensure that we have these conversations with you well in advance.