The convergence of technology and entertainment gives viewers greater control of how they use their time. Viewers will be able to access programming on their schedule. In some ways, this will make them a little harder to find, since they may not be sitting in the same place in front of a TV set for hours on end. Some of the prime time TV traditions may melt away, and in their place, some very savvy programmers and promoters will use this new lifestyle to their advantage.

The Viewer Regains Control Again

What's really started to happen is television is migrating away from being a mass medium, to that of a personal medium. In fact, since the 1950's, the evolution of television has been driven by the move towards a greater selection of programs for increasingly smaller audiences of people. What's most important to point out here is that viewers have fueled this evolution. People crave entertainment that's more relevant to their lives, and more personal. This will become one of the key opportunities for success as a brand in this new media landscape.

The convergence of techonology and entertainment allows viewers have greater control of their choice.

The good news is:Your entertainment brand has more access points into people's lives.

The bad news is:It's your job to tell them why they need you !

You will have more opportunity than ever before to build an intimate brand experience with your viewer. As the number of platforms and delivery methods increase, there is greater potential to become part of the fabric of people's lives. While this is a huge opportunity, it should also be a warning signal for us to pay close attention to the way we craft our messages. We are no longer shouting our messages from the rooftops to anyone who will listen. Rather, we are speaking one-on-one in a personal dialogue with our customers. This places greater responsibility on us to be relevant, respectful of their interests, and most importantly, respectful of people's time.

The New Currency of the Future is Time

One of the ways analysts measure the relative growth of the economy is using a barometer called DPI, or Disposable Personal Income. The theory is, when people have lots of disposable personal income to spend as they wish, consumer confidence is high.

Some of the futurists I've been speaking with believe one of the ways we will measure a thriving economy in the future will be using DPT. Time itself will become a valued commodity.

The convergence of technology and entertainment is creating a condition where viewers have greater control of their time. They can take delivery of a program on their schedule. They can access newscasts and information packets via streaming video on their schedule. What this really means for us is that we must respect our viewers DPT, or risk losing their loyalty.

As viewers embrace the control they have over their choices in entertainment, they will feel a sense of empowerment and freedom. Both of those attributes make good core values for the entertainment brand of the future. Make good use of people's DPT, and you will definitely have an edge over the competition.

So here are some of the ways we can start now to prepare for this next tidal wave in the delivery of programming.

1. Make sure your brand has a voice

Your brand is not your logo. Your brand is everything your logo represents. It's your position in the marketplace. Your brand is a set of core values you communicate with every interaction you have with your viewer. It's the tone and manner you use when speaking to them. It's the promises you make (and hopefully keep) every time you connect with your viewer. All of these foundations of branding will become even more important as your brand is available in more places than ever before.

Make sure your promos stand out with a clear voice. A promo for a reality program on Fox should be very different for that same program if it were airing on Discovery. As network and channel identities become more secondary to program identities, a clear brand voice will help reinforce the source of that program. Logic has it if you like one program from a trusted entertainment brand, then you'll like other, similar programs from that same source.

Now would also be a good time to re-evaluate your channel identity. Since viewers will no longer locate you based on a dial position or call letters, perhaps you need to consider a broader identity for your brand. WWOR9 in New York might rename itself something like "Panorama" because it better represents the scope of what the channel does and works across multiple platforms. In effect, dial positions and call signs may go the way of rabbit ears in the near future.

2. Turn confusion into clarity

I'm a media professional and I'm sometimes confused by the media technology options in front of me. Imagine what your viewer, who can't even program a VCR, feels like. (By the way, I'm a member of that group.)

Help the viewer out. Start showing him the benefits of embracing new media today. How? Talk in terms of benefits. Also, start introducing design elements that "suggest" interactivity and multiple streams of information. For example, you could use your channel bug in an active way, expanding it occasionally to point viewers to a web site for more information, or to tell them what's coming up next. Make innovative use of your screen real estate, much like VH-1 did with their popular "pop-up video." In short, start transitioning viewers from thinking of TV as a passive activity to that of an active one.

3. Fit your viewers' lifestyle

Up until now, we've been making viewers fit our schedule. The viewer of tomorrow will have infinite choices. He'll tell you to take a hike unless you can fit your project into his schedule. Now is the time to study your viewer's habits and tailor your programming and information to their needs. This is a loyalty building endeavor.

4. Technology is your friend

The future is not set in stone, so embrace a lot of new technologies - but don't marry to any one of them. After all, it's an evolving medium and there's every possibility that the hit tech toy of today may be the eight-track tape of tomorrow. Become as familiar as you can with the widest range of options, and do what every skilled expert does - go with your gut. If you can't find the benefit to the consumer, rest assured the consumer won't see it either!

5. Be relevant

The cellular phone may not be the best place for the movie of the week. Carefully examine the capabilities and relevance of each of the mediums, and choose applications and messages that fit the device, taking careful consideration of the way the user will experience your brand.

6. Stop thinking of TV as a mass medium

Broadcast TV was, well, broad cast. Cable TV was narrow cast. Convergence is personal cast. It's ME-TV. Create your messages to speak on a personal level. Use the emotion inherent in many entertainment products to help you connect.

7. Make sure your viewers feel in control

Pandemonium is a turn-off -and if your viewers find it too hard to locate or use you, they will turn you off. As time becomes less important to the promotion, NAVIGATION becomes increasingly significant. Give your viewers promotional "compasses" whenever you can so they won't feel lost in the scary sea of new tech.

Even the best advances in technology mean nothing until a marketing person tells someone how it benefits them. I think this bodes well for all of you out there who are uncertain about your future. Just because viewers can do something, doesn't mean they want to do something. That's the magic you bring to the table. we create the want. We provide the relevance. Media convergence affords us many opportunities to thrive.

I think you'll find that the people best qualified to tell the future are not the architects who are designing it, but rather the visionaries who teach consumers what it can do.

■Tom Connor
Ringmaster, Head of Marketing & Brand Strategy 3 Ring Circus, U.S.A.
(A presentation abstract at PROMAX & BDA 2000 held in New Orleans on June13-17, 2000)