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Personally, I think it's 1982 revisited.
I do think, however, that Fuse will eventually crush MTV, perhaps in five years, simply because they care about music, while MTV only cares about making 14-year-olds horny and political indoctrination.
Posted on 04/16/2003 5:23:45 PM PDT by Timesink
Trades Rules of Branding for Radical Playbook of Skate-Culture: Progressive Logo, Evolving Taglines & Viral Marketing
New $12 Million Street-Front Studio Unveiled in Mid-Town Manhattan
New York, NY, April 8, 2003 - muchmusic usa, a network of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., will become Fuse on May 19, 2003. Fuse is an all-music destination driven by viewers, reflecting the rapidly changing interests and irreverent attitudes of its 12-34 year-old audience, and uniting the media platforms that are the center of their communication and entertainment. Central to Fuse's identity are a progressive logo, changing taglines, and viral marketing campaigns that break the rules of traditional branding, and the Fuse studio, a new $12 million street-front production facility in mid-town Manhattan. Coinciding with the Fuse launch, the company will also debut Fuse On-Demand, a new video-on-demand (VOD) service providing full-length music videos from a wide variety of music genres.
"Over the past several years, the 'music' has left music television, creating a gaping hole in the television landscape. Fuse fills that chasm, not only with pure music programming -- for viewers and by viewers -- but also with an irreverent, self-deprecating attitude and approach," said Josh Sapan, Rainbow president and CEO. "Kids redefine the rules every day. They are early adopters and style influencers in music, movies, fashion and tech. Fuse keeps pace with them. We adapt as quickly as they do to new attitudes and interests, and we're ahead of them, showing the newest, weirdest and coolest stuff in music and on the Web."
"We have worked to craft a programming formula that appeals to teenagers: the ability to choose and curate the music they want, and to enjoy it through an entertainment experience that unites the technology that has become an integral part of our audience's lives," stated Marc Juris, Fuse president. "The Fuse brand represents the 'fusion' of many platforms - television, online and interactive game play - into one unified music entertainment concept. It's a convergence programming philosophy that we already live by with shows like IMX: Interactive Music Xchange."
The culmination of a two-year evolution, the new Fuse brand reflects the experience and success of web- and viewer-driven programming currently on muchmusic usa. Since January 2002, muchmusic usa has been one of cable's fastest growing digital networks, nearly doubling its subscriber base from 18 to 31 million households (Nielsen Universe, April 2003). The network also enjoys the highest concentration of 12 -34 year-old viewers per household among all cable networks (Nielsen Media Research).
muchmusic usa's strong youth appeal has led to relationships with premiere brands including media and consumer names like Teen People, American Online, Sprite and L'Oreal, and record labels like Universal Music Group and Sony Music. "With Fuse, advertisers know they are targeting the 'sweet spot' of their audience. The network's multi-platform approach allows clients to strike a deeper, more personal connection with those consumers," added Corey Silverman, Fuse's senior vice president of Advertising Sales.
The announcement marks the end of the network's association with Canada's Chum, Limited and MuchMusic. In 2000, Rainbow raised its ownership stake in muchmusic usa to 100 percent by acquiring Chum Limited's 50 percent interest in the network. Muchmusic usa continued to carry content through a programming license agreement between Rainbow and Chum.
Fuse is based around core principles that represent the network's promise to the audience and illustrate the brand's personality. Most importantly, Fuse is a curator of music programming. It does not dictate to its audience. The programming is informed and guided by viewer input and direction. Through different platforms, Fuse empowers the audience to "do it yourself": choose their music, contribute and be heard by the network. Fuse is also inclusive, programming from a wide range of music genres, not just one. And, Fuse has a sense of the absurd, like its audience.
"Ultimately of course, Fuse is all about the music. This is a simple tenet that our competitors seem to have forgotten," adds Juris.
3 Radical Concepts: Skate-Culture Tactics Appeal to Web-Centric Teens
The Fuse brand will be informed by three radical, edgy elements inspired by leading skate-culture products. Beginning April 14th, Fuse's launch advertising will appear in cable and advertising trades magazines as well as in outdoor advertising in major markets including New York City. However, appropriate to its audience, Fuse's primary outreach will be a host of guerilla marketing techniques - street teams, underground parties and online marketing - also commencing in mid-April.
"Our branding strategy is informed by skate culture," added Juris. "Their most valued brands are constantly changing their logo and style, playing with and usually making light of themselves. When you consistently evolve your look and language, standard elements of communication become more entertaining and work to define the brand, not just identify it. Instead of being wallpaper, the logo and tags actually have some intrinsic entertainment value, giving consumers a reason to return to see what's new."
"WTF is a promise to our audience that if there is something cool and outrageous on the planet, they will find it on Fuse, online and on-air," said Juris.
Fuse's on-air and online content will be interrupted with snippets of the most eye-popping viral videos circulating on the net. The network will create a section on fuse.tv dedicated to Fuse-curated blogging where viewers can peruse, trade and post the most absurd links and videos for potential use on the network.
Fuse Adds VOD to Convergence Content: Fuse On-Demand
In June, the company will launch Fuse On-Demand, the network's value-added video-on-demand (VOD) service providing digital cable television subscribers full-length music videos from today's top recording artists. Powered by cable operators' VOD technology, Fuse On-Demand will allow users to choose a video whenever they want, stopping, starting, rewinding and fast-forwarding as they choose. Along with videos from a variety of music genres, including rock, pop, alternative, R&B and hip-hop, Fuse On-Demand will also feature special programming from Fuse's signature shows and behind-the-scenes footage from specials and concerts. Pulling from Fuse's robust music video library, Fuse On-Demand's content will respond to viewer input, with updates of new videos on at least a bi-weekly basis.
"Consistent with our convergence philosophy, Fuse is designed to power the growth of digital cable and high-speed services. Fuse On-Demand is the latest addition to the tool box of interactive added-value content that we provide distributors," said Kim Martin, Fuse executive vice president, Affiliate Sales and Marketing. "Along with Fuse's strong brand position, this multi-platform approach will attract early adopter teens and young adults to digital cable, and keep them coming back."
Reflecting the success of this strategy, over the past several months, muchmusic usa renewed contracts with NCTC and Cox, and signed new agreements with Charter Communications, MediaCom and EchoStar, representing a total of eight million viewing subscribers.
NYC Street-Front Studio Is Centerstage of Convergence Programming
Network President Juris unveiled the new branding, marketing and programming at Fuse Studios. The new, $12 million state-of-the-art street-front studio at 11 Penn Plaza in New York City will be the home for Fuse programming, including IMX: Interactive Music Xchange. Following is a look at new and established programming that will dovetail with the network re-branding:
Fuse is the nation's only all-music, viewer-influenced television network, featuring music videos, exclusive artist interviews, live concerts and specials -- all rooted in music. Fuse reflects the rapidly changing interests and attitudes of its 12-34 year-old audience by uniting the media platforms that are at the center of their communication and entertainment - TV, online, and interactive games - and by incorporating their opinions and suggestions into its on-air and online programming. More information about FUSE is available at www.fuse.tv.
FUSE is a network of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc, the programming subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow owns and manages national and regional networks including AMC, WE: Women's Entertainment and IFC.
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Personally, I think it's 1982 revisited.
I do think, however, that Fuse will eventually crush MTV, perhaps in five years, simply because they care about music, while MTV only cares about making 14-year-olds horny and political indoctrination.
agreed MTV sucks cause of them most REAL music will never see the light of day
Skate culture??????? LOL man i love how all these new skaters are showing up now...haha when they were like in diapers i was in and with the first wave of "skaters"
Ahh... It makes perfect sense then.
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