Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

Over the last few weeks people around work have been asking me to contribute to the Capstrat blog. I was considering several topics to wax intellectually about, but none of those topics seemed as immediate, and important as the inevitability of my growing older.

All of which became clearer to me after my wife and I recently threw a party. For this party my wife and I sent out an e-vite unfortunately we forgot to mention "no kids". Hmm.. no kids. Should we even have say that on the e-vite? Most of our friends are young, recently married with no kids, so the thought never crossed our mind. We knew that a few of our friends had some little ones, but we assumed they wouldn't bring them to a party. We were ginormously mistaken.

Next thing we know we have two kids hanging out at our house. At what point in peoples lives does it become acceptable to bring their tiny baby into a world of alcoholic debauchery and finger foods? I guess the point at which they have babies. Do these people not realize the number #1 killer of parties is... wait for it... KIDS!

Cops come in a close second, but they aren't as fragile, and they can hit harder than babies.

I know I should be more empathetic. One day I'll be that guy who can't find a sitter, and still wants to fit in and throw down with his peeps. But right now I'm not, and I don't like being surprised right before a party and have to throw out all my dead baby jokes, just because there was a last minute audience change. I mean new material doesn't write itself. Yes I know I'm a heartless S.O.B, and I'll remain that way until I have kids. Once that happens, I'll bring my glorious bundle of joy to parties and get mad at anyone who makes jokes about underprivileged orphans trapped in old refrigerators. So to the three of you that will read this. How do I deal with the inevitability of my youths demise?

Should I fight it until the very end, or shall I accept the fact that my role as a pseudo hipster party animal is now over?

Guys with guns, girls with attitude, cops and cyborgs – this is the world of G4. The relatively new Comcast cable network bursts with adrenalized pop culture programming for dudes 18 to 24.  The emphasis is on gaming, but the digital warriors and hottie hostesses aren’t what really makes G4 compelling.
 
The real action is G4’s attempt at a kind of convergence.  The network pushes a platform where television, the Web and social networking come together in one complete, cohesive experience. At least that’s the goal I discovered when I recently went inside the workings of G4 for a project.
 
The bet here is that young (and young-at-heart) TV viewers want a more interactive TV experience.  Or, as the network puts it, “TV that’s plugged in.”
   
Take “Cops.”  The syndicated warhorse is part of G4’s programming roster, but it’s not your big brother’s version.  Now, on “Cops 2.0,” while you watch the boys in blue bust bad guys, you can answer on-screen text questions via email.  Or just read along with the scroll at home.  To the query, “How would you react to a stabbing?” a viewer came up with this useful remedy: “I would put chicken mcnuggets in my wounds.” (And to think McDonald’s is getting such a bad rap from the public health community.)
 
On the newsy “Attack of the Show,” the hosts toss the TV audience to commercial and then go right to a stick-cam which keeps the action alive via a feed on G4TV.com.  Also on the Web site you’ll find polls, the day’s hottest viral videos and opportunities to send webcam questions to show hosts for use on-air.  During Nov. 6’s “Election ‘07” stunt, you can vote for what show you’d like see next, thereby taking control.
 
And that’s the key issue – control.  TV networks used to assert absolute power (they programmed every minute) with viewers mostly being passive (voting, in a way, by watching or not, but primarily just sitting and taking it).  That model, the thinking goes, wheezes closer to oblivion every time someone logs on to YouTube.  
 
The next generation of programming has to find ways to engage an audience which won’t accept a passive role and may not even be able to focus like their parents did.  Television, once the big kahuna, is now just one more noisy, blinking toy in a mix crowded with games, the Web, text messages, iPods etc.
 
For cable networks, this new reality is an opportunity.  Cable is more niche than broadcast and so can be more nimble and responsive.  If it can break out ratings wise, G4 has the potential to set a new level of expectation.  But breaking out will probably require some kind of big bang – a programming development with more mass appeal and a higher level of content quality.  Wouldn’t it be great if that pop somehow came from a viewer, inspired to brilliance by the ability to talk back to his TV.