How to create phenomenal variety show IPs such as Go Fighting and The Rap of China?

In an era where entertainment lasts forever, traditional TV stations rely on various variety shows to escape their decline and rely on phenomenal IPs to make money. There is no standard to judge the quality of programs, but there are traces of how they create popular IPs.

The past three years have been the "golden age" for the explosion of TV variety shows. Almost all provincial TV stations have their screens occupied by entertainers. Thousands of variety shows span all classes and meet the preferences of audiences of different ages, and "hit-hit" shows emerge in endlessly.

Counting the evolution of variety shows, from "Zhengda Variety Show" and "Variety Show" in the 1990s to " Happy Camp " and "Super Girl", and then to "The Voice of China", "Running Man", "Extreme Challenge" and "Happy Comedian" and other celebrity reality shows and star-amateur interactive programs, the forms are becoming more and more diverse.

Later, debate-style variety shows such as " The Debaters " emerged as a new trend, sparking a wave of critical thinking. Recently, the online variety show "The Rap of China" has entered the audience's field of vision, sparking heated discussions in the industry about hip-hop... The era of a hundred flowers contending in variety entertainment shows has arrived, and its changes are closely related to the growth of the audience and the change in viewing habits. At the same time, competition for variety entertainment IP is becoming increasingly fierce.

A comprehensive look at the phenomenal show

In recent years, many phenomenal variety shows have appeared. There is no specific evaluation standard for their quality in the industry, but they can be roughly classified into the following categories:

1. Rating 2%

In the past, "Variety Show" could achieve an 18% viewership rate, but the diversification of information channels and the richness of programs have led to a decline in the ratings of variety shows. Nowadays, its ratings during prime time basically remain around 2%.

2. Across classes and generations

The programs no longer satisfy more than one group of people. For example, " Where Are We Going, Dad?" is generally suitable for the whole family to watch together; for example, "Go Fighting" satisfies the preferences of people of different ages, incomes, and occupations, and has reached at least 2 levels in this dimension.

3. Change Behavior

Some popular programs will affect viewing habits. For example, "Where Are We Going, Dad?" is broadcast at 10 p.m., which has affected the lifestyles and TV-off habits of audiences across the country. During this period, turning on Hunan Satellite TV to watch "Where Are We Going, Dad?" has become a common practice for a long time, and it also carries certain psychological implications. In addition, the third season of "Go Fighting" has moved the prime time from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., which is also in line with the habit of many fans choosing to watch variety shows on Sunday night due to the attraction of popular variety show IPs.

4. Topic Focus

Before, during and after the broadcast of popular variety show IPs, audiences often have the habit of sharing their feelings while watching. They express their opinions on social networks such as Weibo, WeChat , and Douban , creating hot topics. Therefore, with Weibo topics, Douban ratings, etc. as the focus, whether a variety show can rank in the top five of Weibo's hot topic rankings, and how many hot searches a show reaches, has become one of the ways people judge its popularity. For example, in the fourth episode of the third season of "Go Fighting", 14 related hot search terms appeared on the 12-hour hot search list, and 4 of them topped the list one after another.

5. Comprehensive value of over 100 million

The comprehensive value of the current top variety shows has already exceeded 100 million yuan, and they generate income in multiple dimensions through sponsorship income, program placement, brand licensing, advertising cooperation, etc. There are also programs that have sponsored 1 billion yuan clubs, and the advertising bidding income of the third season of "The Voice of China" reached 1.3 billion yuan.

6. Leading by benchmarking model

After becoming a phenomenal program and an IP, its benchmark model has been imitated by various TV stations and video websites. After the hit show "Where Are We Going, Dad?", various celebrity parent-child programs suddenly became popular; after "Swordsman" and "Happy Comedians" became popular, comedy shows such as "Comedy Big League" and "Crossover Comedy King" were also launched online. Poetry programs have been very popular recently, and hip-hop and street dance are also becoming popular. Perhaps more imitators are on the way.

Uncover the secrets behind IP creation

Behind any popular variety show, there is a set of methods to follow. They are like products, and only after being branded and IP-ized can their premium be increased. Disney, the world's largest cultural, entertainment and media company, uses IP as its core barrier and generates profits through four major business segments: film and television entertainment, media networks, theme parks, consumer products and interactive entertainment. If we break it down into those cute cartoon characters, each one has the power to move a huge mountain of gold. Mickey Mouse alone has evolved from a cartoon into a real thing, and every connection with users adds points to the Disney IP.

So, what are the methods to create IP for variety shows?

1. Sponsorship leverage

The operation of a variety show requires real money from brand owners.

In recent years, thanks to the development of Chinese smartphones, vivo and OPPO have taken the lead in providing huge financial support to Chinese variety shows. At the end of 2016, OPPO won the naming rights for the second season of "The Voice of China" for 500 million yuan. This is in line with its usual style and it is willing to spend a high price on advertising. "Vivo and Oppo have monopolized variety shows all over the world." An audience member once commented.

Gionee and Xiaomi have also begun to focus on TV variety shows and online variety shows. Fast-moving consumer goods and Internet companies have also joined in the fun, such as Anmuxi in "Running Man" and Chunzhen in "Go Fighting". Companies have begun to think about how to amplify the influence of variety show brands on their own products.

On the other hand, variety shows also value these brands' ability to connect with consumers, and by implanting products into the programs, they create a superimposed publicity effect. In the third season of "Go Fighting", Chunzhen Milk printed with the cartoon image of the Extreme Men's Gang appeared in the hands of guests Sun Honglei and Huang Bo. In 2016, Chunzhen's sales volume was 6 billion yuan. Based on the terminal retail price of 5.5 yuan per bottle, the terminal distribution of over 100 million bottles also provided considerable exposure for TV programs.

2. Cross-border marketing

Variety shows not only bring joy to the audience, but also form multi-dimensional cross-border marketing cooperation through cooperation with brand owners in content design. For example, "The Debaters" designed a fancy oral broadcast for the sponsor, which not only conforms to the characteristics of the program but also makes an interesting combination with the brand owner's positioning.

Brainwashing in the fourth season of "Strange Talk":

• Xiaomi mobile phone: "The Xiaomi mobile phone with high-tech camera that is used for making things happen";
• Pure Zhen Yogurt: "The truth comes out after milk";
• Head & Shoulders: "Don't let your dandruff stay with me overnight";
• Xianyu APP: “Fuck, this can also be sold”;
• Mirinda fruit soda: "If you don't play big enough, don't drink Mirinda."

In "Go Fighting", many interesting tasks are designed through the plot, such as celebrities completing the task of shooting commercials using VIVO mobile phones, Pinduoduo, etc.

3. Artist endorsement

Many brands have now turned to finding suitable spokespersons through collaboration on variety shows, such as Angelababy and Amul in "Running Man", Wu Yifan and Xiaomi mobile phone in "The Rap of China", and Zhang Yixing and Chunzhen yogurt in "Go Fighting". The artists themselves are inseparable from the IPs of popular programs. Yan Rujing, Xiao Xiao, Ma Weiwei and Jiang Sida, the celebrities in "The Debaters", have become spokespeople for KFC . While they collaborate with brands, they also indirectly promote the program itself.

4. Scenario Marketing

Scene marketing is a traditional tactic used in outdoor reality shows. Cities, theme parks, venues, and well-known buildings can all become partners.

In 2015, a company called Daye Chuangzhi entered into commercial cooperation with filming locations in the form of filming location marketing and promotion , and collected sponsorship funds of 35.2 million yuan, with an average filming fee of 5 million yuan per location per phase. The filming locations mainly include Yangtze River Gold No. 3 and other scenic spots, Wuhan Wanda Movie Park, Sui and Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park, Changyu Rena Castle Winery, etc.

In 2014, Zhejiang Radio and Television Group cooperated with Daye Media Group. As a co-producer, Daye Chuangzhi has obtained the exclusive offline operation rights of "Running Man" for three years.

In 2017, "Run" was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, which played an important role in promoting the city's tourism brand. Many viewers saw the Czech scenery shown in the program and decided to go there for their summer vacation.

From program placement to promoting user actions, the effect of popular IP is obvious. China's Fantawild Park became more well-known through its collaboration with "Running Man" and "Go Fighting".

5. Brand authorization

Variety show IP can also be extended to many businesses, such as authorizing the opening of cafes, amusement parks, and authorizing other products to use IP images and brand names.

Currently, there are relatively few typical cases of variety show IP brand licensing. There are many peripheral products launched, and cross-border marketing is also the mainstream.

6. Peripheral products

Peripheral products can be divided into virtual and physical categories.

• Virtual online categories include knowledge products, peripheral programs, etc. For example, the "U Can U Bibi" team, led by Ma Dong, launched the paid knowledge product "Speak Well", which earned more than 5 million yuan on the day of its launch.
• Physical items are mainly brand-related souvenirs, celebrity-related products, props, etc., such as dolls from "Where Are We Going, Dad?"

7. Variety show e-commerce

IPs related to content and fans can be monetized through e-commerce channels in addition to advertising and copyright. However, traditional media always fail to get the hang of e-commerce and usually launch variety show e-commerce through entrustment or cooperation. For example, the debaters from “The Debaters” participated in the Tmall live broadcast of the Head & Shoulders brand, directly converting their influence into sales.

Of course, many e-commerce brands have also launched variety shows, forming a "live broadcast + variety show + e-commerce" model, such as Vipshop 's "Vipmei Da" and Tmall's "Nine Oxen and Two Tigers".

In fact, once a popular IP is formed, naturally a large number of sellers will follow suit. If the variety show IP has no time to take care of it, of course it will give rise to many sellers who sell "the same style of XX".

The authentic "same style as celebrities" are expensive, and the imitations are mostly shoddy. There is a variety show called "The Goddess' New Clothes" which uses the "program + e-commerce" method. In each episode, the "new clothes" that are auctioned off by buyers on the spot will be immediately put on sale on Tmall, realizing the concept of "see and buy".

8. Variety Movies

After the release of the movie "Where Are We Going, Dad?", "Running Man" and "Go Fighting" also released variety show movies one after another. However, this type of movie is obviously still a variety show in nature, but it has been changed to the viewing mode of a movie theater, and fans have also spent money amid various complaints.

9. Game Development

The many records created by " Honor of Kings " have also led to the resurgence of popularity of mobile games . Variety shows have also involved in this, and "Running Man" and "Flowers and Youth" have launched their own official mobile games. However, most game derivatives are made for the purpose of trying new things, attracting young user groups, or expanding brand layout. It depends on whether they can deeply explore the fun of the game and make games with the thinking of game developers rather than completely copying variety shows.

For example, "Go Fighting", "Running Man", "Flowers and Boys" and others have launched their own official mobile games.

"Extreme Challenge-Crazy Agent" H5 casual game

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to communicate with Mr. Yuan Xiaomin, Advertising and Marketing Director of Dragon TV, to talk about Dragon TV’s experience and ideas in creating popular variety show IPs. Mr. Yuan told me that from the comedy series "Go Fighting" to "Swordsman", to program IPs such as "The Voice of China", they have formed a multi-dimensional integration of resources from advertising sponsorship to artist endorsements and film and television drama investments . Changes in audience viewing behavior and the popularization of OTT smart TVs will promote the formation of a new landscape for the television industry in 2018.

The creation of an IP ultimately needs to start with good content. The construction of good content requires the participation of key people, and to make the IP fission, integrated thinking in different dimensions is needed. From advertising sponsorship to artist endorsements, scene marketing, and film and television drama investment, innovation has already sprouted in traditional TV stations and video websites.