The Fashion ChanelIt all started in the year 1996 for “The Fashion Channel”, that’s when it is established under the entrepreneurship of two. The Fashion Channel has got a reputation for portraying various programs which are related to an iconic term called “Fashion”. TFC is the only network in the market which shows up the fashion related programs throughout the day and every day (24×7). Because of its competing nature, TFC has seen a constant period of profits and also stood as one of the famous networks which attracted 80 million viewers in the United States to subscribe the network. TFC adopted a Broad segmentation that also includes the marketing demographics that contributes to its success which helped experience steady profit growth each year since its origination in 1996.
Recently, however, TFC is been targeted by CNN and Lifetime created competitive programming, by creating programs like 30 and 60-minute fashion shows tend to be similar or better than TFC which grabbed the attention of many viewers. These two networks had certainly given a tuff competition in the hunt for the No.1 position. As Lifetime and CNN providing some quality fashion programs which attracted majority of the viewers, those two networks have turned out to be the threat for TFC. As the time elapsed, the viewer’s tend to decrease because of the low satisfaction which eventually hurt the revenue of TFC.
TFC has always provided its consumers a focus on fashion 24/7, this provides fashion expertise for men and women of all ages with a vision of “Fashion for Everyone.” TFC’s current goal was to maintain its leading status in the market with competitive ratings, advertising, and cable affiliations so looking for means to do so by adjusting its strategy to the growing competition. Fraizer, senior vice president of advertising sale, advised that in order to increase the TFC’s ad revenues either TFC has to decrease its ad pricing by 10% to increase its viewership by improving the quality and contents of the program.
It was then time to formulate a master strategy which could bounce the situation from negative y-axis to the positive y-axis. And it was the time, Dana Wheeler came into the blood of TFC. The main aim of TFC was to formulate a new strategy to bring back the viewers, increase the revenue and simultaneously increase the ratings of the network in the market. A survey of consumers by GFE Associates identifies four group that make up potential viewers: Fashionitas (the fashion devoted, who comprise 18% of those surveyed); Planners and Shoppers (enjoy of fashion, 35%); Situationlists (occasionally interested in fashion specific purpose, 30%) and Basics (generally uninterested in fashion, 20%). Attitudinal research by GFE indicates that male consumers tend to fall into basic group, while 61% of Fashionstas are women. TFC’s broad segmentation marketing
The strategy to return viewers to the fans, is a relatively new one. But when it comes to advertisers, it has the potential to become a big business. For example, GFE’s analysis shows that the “traditional” demographic is the most loyal (23%) of the group who subscribe to the brand. The survey also found that 30% of “experts” had already bought TFC in 2010 when it changed hands.
It may be true that they are not completely convinced about a trend or in particular the role of women in fashion, but after seeing TFC, many of them don’t think the program is for them. Many believe that the current generation of viewers are young, with no interests in fashion, instead viewing their own work as just a distraction. This is due to the fact that, like in movies, TV shows, TV shows and, more recently, magazines, the majority do not even watch and, the other side of the coin, consumers of fashion and beauty have a great attachment to a particular piece. There has been some controversy in the years since TFC became the target of criticism from some women’s magazines and the mainstream media. At the time, women were the second most used demographic in business after fashion. And a lot of those dissatisfied consumers now make more money from advertising. What is different right now from what we were before the program was aired?
On an individual level, what is unique with TFC is that it is able to offer a whole raft of attractive and important things at once. In the beginning it was quite difficult to get the viewers to the brand, and now that it’s become a very popular brand, it’s increasingly difficult to convince young women to get in touch with their own content – something that I’ve learned in my years working for TFC. In fact, as the business model changes, many women who currently watch on other platforms and websites will find that they actually understand the program.
That said, at the end of the day it is not a matter of how attractive and important to a demographic that is becoming more common or for young women. Those who currently enjoy more attractive styles and features are also more likely to go to the site and buy it, and it works in other countries too.
The big question, though, is which of these three channels will be able to reach more women? As Dana Wheeler says in her interview with The View with Barbara Hendricks, it may be the TV channels The View, The Mornings – TFC 2.0 (Sprint) and Lifestyle (Fujia) – that will be better positioned.
TFC and Fashionest
The biggest challenge for TFC is that advertisers will have to decide which channel is willing to offer women a different type of experience. The channel’s marketing is geared towards women which means that it can be more in line with their own interests. As Dana Wheeler says in her interview with The View, “It’s important to consider what will make the audience want to go to TFC – whether they want to buy the same show or not if they don’t want to go to TFC anymore. If those segments don’t reach, we don’t have the same business model that TFC is.”
Caitlyn Hagan has seen the new program for years