POSITIONING MTV

MTV: Music Television

Written by Alan Goodmanfor Fred/Alan, Inc.

July 17, 1987

IntroductionTo recap something we all learned long ago: "positioning" a productmeans finding a place for it -- a hole -- in a prospect's mind. A place we canclaim that competitors cannot.There are many reasons why we may want to be "the entertainment sourcefor young America." Or "a non-stop party." Or a million other things.But these aspirations are ours, not our consumers. We must remember tolook inside the consumer's head.And to successfully position a product for minds everyone else wants tooccupy in the age of overcommunication, it must be a simple message.Often, positioning a product is easier when that product has competitors --Avis "tries harder," Lite Beer is "everything you want, and less," 7-Up isthe "uncola,"etc.But MTV is "Music Television," and nothing else is. So MTV has nocompetitors.Right? Wrong!

The Environment Defines the Competition

MTV exists in an environment where there is more choice available thanever before. Cable television.Often, cable programmers try to draw a distinction between cable and broadcast. Cable means choice and modernity, broadcast means lesschoice and tradition.But these programmers identify the environment in their terms, notconsumers' terms. More and more, the difference between broadcast andcable will blur in consumers' minds, and for our children, who will never see a TV dial and won't know the limitations of the VHF 2-13 band, thedistinction may not exist at all.WTBS is shows, just like Channel 2. So is USA Network and Lifetime.And when the Pay services show movies you don't want, they may aswell not be there at all.For real consumers, television is television. And there are certain thingsabout television that MTV isn't.WATCHING TELEVISION IS:•Making a commitment (a half-hour -- or hour -- commitment).•Putting up with the shows they feed you.•Watching things that aren't for you (they are mass audience).•Not listening to music.•Predictable.WATCHING MTV IS:•A small, or short, commitment.•No shows. Or, a new show every three minutes.•Watching something that's for you.•Music.•Reliable, not predictable.