In television, like fashion, you’re either in or you’re out, and staying relevant in the still-evolving medium is not as easy as it once was. Internal marketers need to approach their existing and potential audiences from every direction, and for Bravo director of digital marketing and events Valerie Brown, that task hinges on creating signature moments to herald the premieres of new and existing series.
First in a Series: Brown joined the network in 2004, on the eve of an extensive rebranding initiative. That effort included the launch of Project Runway, the first series she worked on closely, collaborating with producers Magical Elves and IMG Fashion to run the front of the house for the contestants’ Bryant Park fashion shows. In the four years since, Bravo has grown each year, posting record ratings in 2007 and then again in the second quarter of 2008.
Expanding Lineup: Brown became team director in 2006, working with Bravo senior vice president of marketing Ellen Stone. She recently produced a competition to find a new cast member for gym reality show Work Out, a dating advice seminar with the star of The Millionaire Matchmaker, and dance classes at Crunch gyms nationwide to promote Step It Up and Dance. “As you grow, budgets become more accessible, but at the same time, you have to maintain profitability,” says Brown. “We pick anchor events to invest in and to put on a large platform. When you have the breadth of programming we have, you have to make strategic decisions.”
A Cut Above: In one of the year’s standout events, Brown gave hairstyling competition Shear Genius a push for its sophomore season that it didn’t receive for its first outing. The series’ 11 contestants, along with host Jaclyn Smith, set up shop in a makeshift salon in the middle of Times Square, using artistic chairs designed by students at the School of Visual Arts. “We hit every goal with that one,” Brown says. “High traffic, iconic location, working with a creative partner in SVA, and creating a showcase where we were able to display the talent of the stylists on the show.”
Glorious Food: Trying to achieve all of those goals moving forward, Brown's biggest 2008 event saw Bravo and NYC & Company create a culinary tour through all five New York City boroughs in Grand Central Station for the launch of the New York season of Top Chef. Chefs (including past contestants) from 20 local restaurants prepared different cuisines representative of New York neighborhoods for guests willing to donate $30 to City Harvest. During the series' hiatus, Brown maintained buzz with “Top Chef: The Tour,” a three-month promotion in which past contestants gave cooking demonstrations in 20 cities across the country.
Another Project: Pending the outcome of current legal dispute, Bravo may lose flagship property Project Runway to Lifetime, but it’s hard for Brown to dwell on the potential departure. Her network has a record 24 new and returning series slated for 2009, and she’s already brainstorming how to tackle them all. “At the end of the day,” she says, “I want to create a strategy where we’re creating events for all of our new series and all of our returning franchises.”
