We Created the Future of TV (and Movies)

Imagine an automobile race from Los Angeles to New York. No matter how well someone can drive, if he or she is on the wrong path, meaning heading north to Seattle, they won’t win the race. That is a perfect analogy for the television industry. No matter how smart a series creator might be, it’s extremely easy to prove that the 1950s-era model still used in the 21st century to develop, pitch and promote a TV show, the only change is how some are delivered, is as wrong as racing to New York from Los Angeles through Seattle and expecting to win the race.

Today, a TV series must compete against, literally, millions of series and other types of content. But, since TV began, producers have created series appealing to them, not the market, and none can explain how to create a hit show. TV promotion is so ineffective that we proved it minimizes viewers, even for hits. Buying decisions are made by guessing and no viable research indicates if a show will be a success. So media and streaming companies hope they’ll be hits which is why TV fits the “insanity” definition, doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result.

We’ve upgraded the 70-year-old TV model still used today that, with slight adaptations, applies to movies. With Wall Street expecting better results from media and streaming companies, layoffs the norm and a coming shake-out all magnify the value in what we are offering. Our model has no weaknesses since every element is an existing TV truth, with a “secret sauce” impossible to copy, and works with human nature, not against it like TV’s does. It’s why we’ve been told we deserve an eight-figure model-licensing fee, a huge development deal and profits from multiple series.

After reading this you’ll agree we identified the real viewer-and revenue-minimizing flaws in the decades-old TV series development-pitch-promotion model. Then we made corrections no one challenged with a “secret sauce” discovered in Nielsen research. This site also has validating emails from an NBC SVP Development and confirming research. We were also told we should be running a network and understand the industry in the 21st century better than those in charge since every company in TV operates under a model having failure as the logical outcome.

The “Overview” section will take 90 seconds to read.

“You understand the industry in the 21st century better than the people in charge.”

ModernModel TV is the pioneering company that has accurately identified the shortcomings of the outdated 1950s-era TV series development, pitch, and promotional model, which was designed for an era dominated by three major networks.

This antiquated model is no longer suitable for the 21st century, where viewers have access to millions of options across broadcast, cable, digital, streaming, and other platforms. ModernModel TV has successfully addressed these issues through innovative adjustments, as confirmed by both executive feedback and rigorous research.

No other company, including established TV production companies and newcomers to the industry, can match or surpass our groundbreaking approach.

The harsh reality is that the industry is perpetuating a decades-old model that is no longer fit for purpose. This lack of understanding of modern audience behavior and the competitive landscape is hindering innovation and limiting the potential for success.

Our background with ad agencies provided us with a unique perspective. Upon finalizing our upgraded model, we realized its striking similarity to how ad agencies develop their products. We can prove that the ad agency model, with its emphasis on appealing premises serving as marketing platforms, is more suitable for creating successful TV series than the outdated TV model.

This assertion is further supported by feedback from TV executives. Numerous emails, including positive endorsements from an NBC CMO and SVP Development, confirm that our model represents the future of television. We’ve even been told that we “understand the industry in the 21st century better than the people in charge” and “should be running a network,” meaning we possess a deeper understanding of TV today.

ModernModel TV’s unique approach designed for the 21st century has enabled us to provide the only accurate response to the industry’s fundamental question: “How do you create a successful TV series?” This proprietary knowledge, a core component of our “secret sauce,” empowers us to uniquely sell a dozen or more hit series annually. Our non-disruptive, easily integrated model allows us to achieve that goal by developing our series, collaborating with producers who adopt our model for their shows, and selectively promoting existing series.

In contrast, the industry’s current approach relies heavily on luck and subjective judgments about “great” writers and producers, logically leading to significant investments in projects that ultimately fail to deliver. The inability to provide a definitive answer to the key question about creating a successful series highlights the industry’s fundamental flaw.

Given how our “secret sauce” results in a successful series combined with our unique insights into the industry’s core challenges, we anticipate significant interest from media and streaming companies. We believe that a partnership with us could cause Wall Street to position a company as an industry leader, switching large numbers of stockholder assets from wasted and underperforming to major revenue generators. That’s why we were told that “advertisers and TV studios will be lining up at your door.”

Alternatively, we can generate revenue by selling multiple series annually as co-productions. This potential for significant financial gain aligns with the high-value deals seen in other industries, such as the multi-million-dollar contracts secured by celebrities like Prince Harry, despite lacking the expertise to answer the industry’s most critical question.

Also, in contracts many years ago was a clause that, if a series increased ratings in its time slot from the previous season, its production company would receive a percentage of the advertising revenue from that gain. However, due to the rarity of such increases, this clause has been phased out. We were told, added to normal fees and equity, results-based compensation from each delivery system would be included for us for series we’d be involved with.

“I am a believer (in your model).”

That was the reaction following a meeting with an NBC SVP of Development, facilitated by a VP, where there was significant interest in two series that we had presented. The SVP expressed confidence in the success of these series and a strong desire to collaborate with us, even going so far as to state, “I want to do business with you.” Unfortunately, before any formal agreements could be made, the SVP was terminated.

Despite this setback, the SVP’s acknowledgment of our unique approach to series development and promotion is a testament to its potential. Our ability to identify and address the root causes of series failure and provide a definitive answer to the crucial question of series success sets us apart from traditional industry practices.

What follows is a comprehensive analysis of the three fundamental elements of a TV series – development, pitch and promotion. Our analysis will unequivocally demonstrate that the current industry model, rooted in outdated practices, is inherently flawed and destined to produce subpar results. We will also expose the significant waste of shareholder funds in the area of promotion.

During our interactions with TV executives, our upgraded model was met with overwhelming agreement and admiration. While some executives attempted to challenge our approach, they quickly recognized its superiority and realized it had zero flaws. It’s important to note that a small minority of executives, entrenched in the old model and motivated by self-interest, may resist change.

By the end of this analysis, you will understand why our model, and those who adopt it, are poised to dominate the industry. We will examine each element in detail, excluding our proprietary “secret sauce,” and provide compelling evidence, including emails from an NBC SVP and research findings, to support our claims.

And how the outdated model sabotages TV series success.

We begin with promotion, the often-overlooked yet crucial element that determines initial audience exposure and, ultimately, revenue generation. We will expose the fatal flaws of the current promotional model and present a clear solution.

The “Promotion” section will take five minutes to read, but might be the most important one.

Note: This also applies to motion pictures, where the majority of promotion is ineffective, except for the few high-profile films, star-driven projects, or branded franchises whereby they become the promotion.

Consumers are inundated with countless entertainment options across broadcast, cable, digital, and streaming platforms. Yet, they can only consume a tiny fraction of this content. The key factor determining which shows they choose to watch is promotion, which is why media and streaming companies invest as much as $2 billion a year to entice viewers to tune into their programs. This figure includes direct advertising expenses (outdoor, radio, digital, print, etc.) and the cost of promotional airtime on their own platforms if sold to advertisers.

(Note that promotion includes TV advertising and publicity, though the latter’s impact is less significant and is not discussed here.)

Ironically, the industry sabotages its own content through ineffective promotion leading to low levels of word-of-mouth since the potential for word-of-mouth is determined by the number of people motivated to watch the show in the first place, a number minimized by the promotion’s lack of effectiveness.

Therefore, the combination of poor promotion and low word of mouth often results in the premature cancellation of promising TV series.

By adopting more creative and engaging promotional strategies, the industry can significantly enhance the success of its shows.

The Key Reason TV Series Fail

To address this problem, we must differentiate between pre-premiere and post-premiere promotional strategies. To illustrate this point, let’s consider the following examples of post-premiere promotion from various eras, only missing are clips accomplishing the same thing. Imagine each show debuted last week, and this applies to all delivery systems and genres, be it a sitcom, drama or reality show, with the equivalent of a common broadcast rating of two, placing them on the path to cancellation.

“Which sister will become a surrogate mother to Frankie?” – Sisters

“A college reporter prints the mistaken story that Jerry and George are longtime gay companions.” – Seinfeld

“Kate is cast out of the group; Abe finds out that Rebecca is not being honest.” – Breaking Amish

“Axe has to step in when a tip from Dollar Bill goes south quickly. Wendy and Axe develop a plan to derail Taylor’s business.” – Billions

“JD temporarily takes in Fiona and the kids; Garrett changes strategies in his attempt to stop Kamdar.” – The Cleaning Lady

“Is Eric seeing another woman? Tonight, Annie’s faith gets put to the test.” – 7th Heaven

“Benson and Rollins must contend with the FBI and the Organized Crime bureau when a rape victim identifies a dangerous mobster as her assailant.” – Law & Order SVU

“When a ship malfunction threatens the voyage before it’s barely begun, Emma works with a wary Mishra on a high-risk repair operation.” – Away

“Rachel gives a handsome man her phone number, but worries he might call when Ross is there.” – Friends

“Julia is forced to make a drastic decision when she finds out that Isaac has been secretly working with Leon for advice on his current patients.” – Almost Family

“Who will win the power of the veto, and will it be used to save Tommy or Cliff from eviction?” – Big Brother

Which of the examples made you curious enough to watch the episode? Did you understand the context, relate to the characters, or feel intrigued by the plot?

As you’ve likely noticed, to be effective, TV promotion requires prior knowledge of the characters, which requires having viewed the show. This means they only impact the tiny percentage of viewers (really households) already familiar with the show, the 2% in this example. The vast majority of potential viewers who haven’t seen it, the 98%, are unable to connect with or relate to the promotion due to not “knowing” the characters, thus being offered no rationale to watch it.

In essence, TV promotion following the premiere until the series ends its run might as well be in Bulgarian for all the good it does. They fail to engage the overwhelming percentage of the audience not having seen the show, leaving them indifferent and uninterested.

To summarize:

This 70-year-old strategy is fundamentally flawed. Unlike other industries, TV promotion, in all delivery systems and genres, neglects the importance of attracting new “customers.” Instead, it solely focuses on maintaining the loyalty of a series relatively few existing viewers. This explains why it sabotages the success of its shows since it is the only industry whereby only those who have “bought” the product, meaning seen the show, can understand or relate to the subsequent promotion, which each media and streaming company spends up-to-$2 billion every year.

It assumes that people will tune in to a show simply because they recognize the show’s title or the characters’ names. However, like any product, people need a concrete reason to “sample” it that critical first time, which TV rarely, if ever, offers.

That is why the industry’s promotional strategy is akin to eating noodles with only one chopstick. Amidst a sea of choices, effective promotion is the missing one.

Another way to illustrate this point is to consider two series that debuted with a low rating of two: one is real, the other is fictional to ensure no one has seen it.

“On the next ‘Seinfeld,’ Elaine falls in love with Kramer, and George is mistakenly named New York’s Bachelor of the Month.”

And

“On the next ‘Bocelli,’ Elly falls in love with Kelly, and Greg is mistakenly named New York’s Bachelor of the Month.”

The 2% who have watched “Seinfeld” would instantly recognize the potential of this episode. They understand the characters’ quirks and the show’s unique brand of humor. However, a similar plotline involving characters in “Bocelli” would be lost on the 98% of the audience who aren’t familiar with the show, assuming it existed. Without the established context and character relationships, TV promotion lacks the necessary appeal to draw in new viewers. For those not familiar with “Seinfeld,” both promotion examples are meaningless, thus further proving the point.

This side-by-side comparison highlights the fundamental flaw in TV promotion relying on character-specific references that only resonate with existing fans. TV promotion goes against human nature in that we care about people, and TV characters, we know, like Elaine and Kramer on “Seinfeld,” not those we don’t, like Mr. Bocelli.

To further support the point, and it is easiest to appreciate with sitcoms, simply observe the promotion for TV shows you watch and those you don’t. Or pay attention to the on-screen descriptions of upcoming episodes on streaming services like Hulu. It’s the same as the post-premiere promotion.

Pre-premiere promotion is even more challenging, as viewers have no prior knowledge of the characters or their dynamics. This makes it very difficult to generate excitement and anticipation. As a result, the industry often resorts to creating familiar formats and rehashing old concepts, hoping that name recognition will be enough to attract viewers, rather than compelling promotion. The proliferation of spin-offs like “NCIS” and “Law & Order,” as well as reboots like “Murphy Brown,” is a testament to this strategy.

Another problem in the TV industry is the disconnect between content creation and promotion since the production company, that creates the product, has no direct involvement in its promotion. This task is solely delegated to the distribution system. Consequently, production companies often overlook the promotability of their series. By comparison, all other industries, except motion pictures, integrate advertising considerations into the product development process. This approach is logical and effective, as it ensures that the product is inherently marketable. The absence of this integration is another reason for ineffective promotion and suboptimal viewership. Moreover, the individuals responsible for TV promotion, who are primarily editors, lack the skills and expertise required to work at an advertising agency.

Here’s an interesting thought. With promotion the first step on the road to success, and people can only view a very small percentage of the millions of available options, perhaps it, not content, is king. This leads to the first of three key questions:

How can any media or streaming company justify spending millions of dollars on a TV series, and billions in total, when the mechanism that monetizes them and every company in the industry, meaning the promotion that billions are spent on to generate viewers and word of mouth, is broken?

They can’t, but we can.

What is interesting to learn is promotion has always been ineffective. But its negative impact was muted with only ABC, CBS and NBC to choose from decades ago. However, in the contemporary media universe, its importance is magnified. With an overwhelming number of choices, effective promotion is the primary factor influencing viewer selection. Consequently, without substantial viewership, particularly during the critical early episodes, further investments in content are rendered ineffective.

Correcting the Problem

The proof is in the pudding: our promotional approach, the result of merging it with the content, is a game-changer that will break through the extreme clutter. Seeing examples proves that, due to how our series are developed, each episode practically writes what will be the industry’s most effective promotion. Our simple billboards and banner ads will effortlessly outperform the industry’s “best” 30-second TV spots. The bottom line is more effective promotion also sparking viral buzz is the first step in the success formula.

Our secret weapon is the emotional connection the promotion forges with 60-to-80% of the population, turning many of them into passionate fans. This deep bond, which fuels our scriptwriting process, sets us apart from the competition only having less than 5% relating to their series. Even the remaining 20-to-40% will feel the impact, albeit on a different level.

In today’s era of fickle viewers and endless choices, this heightened engagement can translate into a massive surge in viewership, especially with loyalty to most series weak, watching a show doesn’t cost extra money and trying a new one is so easy, just hitting a remote, mouse or touchpad. That makes the question isn’t if our promotion will cause series created under our model to be successful in all delivery systems, rather it’s by how much will they outshine the competition?

As for TV’s promotional research, it selects the “least worst” option from a pool of all subpar choices.

Conversely, a study from Survey Monkey, commonly employed by major advertisers and ad agencies, found that when our promotion was compared to real TV series’ promotion (with character names changed to maintain anonymity), our promotion, and premises, were overwhelmingly preferred. The results were stark: ours earned “A’s, “while the TV promotions received “D’s.”

This highlights one of our most important competitive advantages: that prior knowledge of a show or its characters isn’t a prerequisite for motivating viewing.

Even without professional copywriting experience, we achieved those results. Collaborating with a skilled creative team will undoubtedly elevate our promotional efforts even further. More on this study in the “Research” section.

It’s important to note that every executive we’ve met with agreed that delivery systems will want us to create our promotion although, which is the norm, they will produce it. This will prevent them from appearing foolish by using ineffective strategies, plus it aligns with the interests of SVPs of Development. This approach is also crucial for a more compelling pitch to ensure series we are involved with will be bought.

As for the ad agency model being more suitable for successful TV series, ad agencies naturally align their promotional strategies with the product, ensuring a cohesive campaign that sells it. In contrast, the TV industry’s promotional methods are ineffective, just describing a weak premise or plot lines, which then contribute to underperforming or failed series.

Finally

Once industry leaders and Wall Street recognize the billions spent on ineffective promotion, which ultimately harms viewership, revenue, profit, and market value, they will seek solutions. Our approach, which focuses on correcting promotional flaws, offers a valuable one.

Effective promotion is also the quickest way for broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC to regain lost market share and streaming services to strengthen their position in a very competitive world. Those and other reasons mandate that, In an era of abundant content choices and limited viewer time, studios and distribution systems must invest in promotion that can break through the clutter and powerfully impact a significant audience. Without effective promotion, even high-quality series will struggle to gain traction.

Then there’s what should be of particular interest to series creators. Many series that failed were, to a great degree, victims of ineffective promotion. The reality is the billions spent on promotion by each media and streaming company over the years might yield a higher return for shareholders if they were donated to charitable causes to receive the tax benefits.

The “Development” section will take three minutes to read.

Note: This also applies to motion pictures.

The TV industry’s development model is also fundamentally flawed. Regardless of who receives a lucrative development deal or a series is bought from – experienced producers, celebrities, athletes, YouTubers, political figures, producers with seven out of seven failures, etc. – they all have one thing in common. None of them can correctly answer the industry’s key question, How do you create a successful TV series?

We can answer it to anyone’s satisfaction. Combining the ad agency model with our Nielsen-validated “secret sauce” we can consistently create captivating TV series that resonate with audiences. Whether we develop them, other producers apply our model or we simply promote them.

That led to key question number two, the reason why the development model sabotages TV series:

Why are media and streaming companies investing billions in a product, and a TV series is a product, when no one in or out of TV developing them can correctly answer the industry’s most basic question about creating a successful TV series?

However, TV executives met with agreed we had the only logical response.

While a select few series manage to break through the clutter, the vast majority fail to resonate with viewers. In today’s competitive environment, with countless broadcast, cable, digital, streaming and options at their fingertips, content must be both compelling and widely appealing. By prioritizing a creator’s personal preference over what the marketplace will positively respond to, the former worked when there were only three options, the industry is producing the great majority of shows that are niche or simply irrelevant. Add that the research used to assist in which series to purchase is illogical and outdated.

Upgrading the Model

Nielsen research has consistently shown a fascinating pattern: When a series is developed in a certain manner, 100% of the time its ratings to a very small demographic group are huge, up to 10 times higher than those not in that group. That defines a rating spike and it applies to every delivery system, current and future.

For instance, “Mad Men” experienced a dramatic surge in viewership among advertising professionals, as evidenced by detailed weekly episode recaps in Ad Age. However, this demographic represents a minuscule fraction of the overall population, ultimately having little impact on the show’s overall ratings. Similarly, a series from many years ago, “Providence,” debuted with a 13.1 rating and achieved a remarkable 40.3 rating in its namesake city, but this localized success had negligible impact on its national performance due to the city’s small population.

This phenomenon, although deeply rooted in human nature, actually hinders the pursuit of high viewership under the outdated model. While rating spikes can occur within many demographic groups, they typically represent less than 5% of the total population. As a result, even significant spikes have a minimal impact on overall ratings. In some cases, the spikes lead to a decline in viewership within the much larger, non-spiked group.

We’ve identified the common thread underlying every huge rating spike and can duplicate it, but not to a small demographic group which has minimal impact on the total viewers. By understanding and leveraging this dynamic, we can create series that have a powerful emotional connection with the largest possible audience.

Developing Hit Series

What if the spiked group was not less than 5% of households or population for streaming shows, but 60-to-80%, and was not from a demographic, but from a powerful emotional connection? And received a rating three, five, seven or more times greater than what the now much smaller non-spiked group earned, those increases are valid, although the smaller non-spiked group was also impacted, just on a lower level.

Consider the case of “Providence.” The show’s rating among the spiked group was three times higher than the non-spiked group. That means a series earning a nine rating to a spiked group having a powerful emotional appeal to 70% of the population and a three rating to the non-spiked group, the 30%, on a broadcast network would have a total rating of 7.2. Thus qualifying as the number one non-sports series, and number one on cable, digital and streaming. A spike just four times larger translates into a rating of 9.3. The math is accurate, and the Nielsen correlation occurs 100% of the time.

This approach would immediately drive significant increases in ratings and streaming viewership. By building in a deep emotional connection with 60-to-80% of the population, Nielsen ensures they become bonded to the promotion which bonds them to the premise and characters. Another example of our model working with human nature is this emotional connection, which goes far beyond demographics, will cause viewers in the huge spiked group to be personally invested in the characters and storylines, realizing each series is not just about the characters, it’s about them as well. The remaining 20-to-40% will also be positively impacted, albeit to a lesser extent.

Under this model, each episode practically writes promotion that, by definition, will emotionally connect with the spiked, and non-spiked, groups to motivate high viewing levels.

Nielsen proves the small spiked groups earned huge ratings, so the same principle and result will apply to the much larger emotionally connecting group, especially since an emotional connection trumps simple demographics and analytics. That was agreed with by TV executives, including the only decision maker met with, NBC’s SVP Development, who wanted to buy two series. The unique and proprietary method we use to identify that critical common thread and engage the target audiences is virtually impossible to identify. Adding high-quality production companies results in the optimum development model.

There is one other important point that is automatically included within series we’re involved with. By knowing what in our more effective promotion attracted the viewers means we can ensure the expectation established within an episode is met; meeting expectations leads to satisfaction; satisfaction leads to loyalty.

Thus our model becomes, first, generate high viewing levels, then build within each episode the ability to maintain viewer loyalty. It’s how successful TV series can be developed, and no one in TV can match it. Building in viewer loyalty is a goal the industry would agree is impossible to justify, we prove we will obtain it.

That is why Nielsen ensures, and we are comfortable predicting, that series we are involved with will earn broadcast ratings of six, eight, 10 or more, becoming massive hits, with the equivalent in cable, streaming and future delivery systems. Those numbers will be maintained by causing existing viewers to remain loyal plus the promotion will add new ones weekly, enabling many more people to deliver word of mouth.

Our model gives us a significant competitive advantage over producers solely focusing on their vision. By understanding and capitalizing on the emotional dynamics of audience engagement, we can consistently deliver commercially successful TV series.

Execution vs Premise

The prevailing thinking in TV is that execution, primarily the scripts, is the key to success. However, that any premise can be successful with strong execution is a dated, incorrect belief.

In today’s era of abundant content choices, most series require a compelling premise to attract and retain viewers. When viewers connect with the premise, there is evidence it enables writers to create funnier comedies, more intriguing dramas and more authentic reality shows.

The problem is focusing on execution relegates the premise to being the setting, where the show takes place. But Nielsen tells us the premise is the key. That’s because it determines the percentage of people who’ll relate to the promotion and the show, ours will have 60-to-80% vs. under 5% for other series, and how effective writers will be. In fact, under our model, like with “Providence,” the title can attract huge numbers of viewers to our shows.

The reason that most series are not very appealing is due to relying on execution, although we are not discounting its importance. It’s just not the key. Emotionally connecting premises are crucial for earning high viewing levels and maintaining viewer loyalty in today’s competitive landscape. Without a strong foundation, meaning a premise appealing to a huge percentage of the market, even the best writing may not be enough to overcome low viewership and potential cancellation.

A reason the ad agency model makes more sense is ad agencies develop content appealing to the marketplace, TV series creators develop what appeals to them. Which approach makes more sense? Also, the ad agency model creates powerfully appealing advertising platforms, which are equal to the premise, which always results in creative that is easier to sell and receive much better results.

As for the “Seinfeld” lie, it’s that it was “a show about nothing.” No, it was exactly like every other sitcom since TV began. All are about either a wacky group of friends or family members living in (name of city), which is “Seinfeld,” or crazy coworkers working at (company name). Both describe every sitcom since TV began.

The “Pitch” section will take 30 seconds to read.

Note: This also applies to motion pictures.

Traditional TV pitches rely on speculative premises, leaving buyers to guess about a show’s potential success, and is why the pitch is the third way the decades-old model sabotages success. This outdated approach, and most series creators have poor or no track records, can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities.

In today’s competitive market, if a TV series cannot attract and retain significant audiences there is no rationale to fund it. To eliminate guesswork, and enable buyers to make informed decisions about which projects to invest in, they should ask this very fair key question number three to everyone seeking funding:

How will your show attract and retain significant audiences in today’s competitive market?

The answer will reveal which series can succeed and which are likely to fail. While we can answer that very logical question to anyone’s satisfaction, no one else can.

We can sell a dozen series annually, including three to four developed by MMTV and produced by established companies, as well as numerous series developed by other creators. Each pitch will feature the most effective promotion that will attract the largest audience of all series under consideration, supported by research if necessary. Then we demonstrate how each episode is designed to maintain viewer loyalty with promotion to attract new viewers, ensuring a strong foundation for success. Additionally, we can promote select series to boost ratings or streaming viewership.

That is why our pitch will minimize the financial risk and increase the likelihood of profitable outcomes for all stakeholders.

Another advantage of the ad agency model over the TV approach is ad agencies must persuade clients of their work’s effectiveness, a skill that TV producers often lack.

The “Research” section will take 30 seconds to read.

Our model’s effectiveness has been validated through various sources, including Nielsen and Facebook research on TV viewership. To further solidify our claims, we conducted a Survey Monkey poll with 100 respondents aged 18 and older.

Participants were asked to compare the appeal of our series promotion, which included our premises, to those of highly-rated TV shows like “Seinfeld,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “I Love Lucy.” To ensure a fair comparison, we altered the titles and character names of those well-known shows, presenting them like ours, as new series.

The results overwhelmingly favored our series, 65-35, 66-34, 60-40, 62-38 and 59-41, with an average preference of 62.4% to 37.6%. While sitcoms were used, comparable results would be obtained with dramas and reality shows.

This significant victory underscores the power of our model to create captivating and engaging TV series. But this is a much greater victory than it appears.

Our model’s superiority in developing and promoting TV shows is evident in the 25-point spread in our favor. This advantage is further amplified in two ways.

One is we are not copywriters, and would add a top creative team to develop even more compelling promotion.

The other is, to ensure a fair comparison, we intentionally used the industry’s outdated, viewer-minimizing promotional strategy, a strategy TV executives met with acknowledged as ineffective and one we would never employ. Despite that, our series and premises were so compelling that even our C-level promotional efforts outperformed the billions spent on promotion by major media and streaming companies

This resounding victory underscores the power of our model to create captivating and successful TV shows.

TV executives who’ve seen our promotion have confirmed that our ‘A-level’ approach would significantly increase that 25-point gap. We predict a 95-to-5 split in favor of our promotion, a projection that industry executives concurred with. Even our simple billboards and banner ads would outperform TV’s “best” 30-second spots.

Additionally, beyond the statistical advantages, our model delivers a unique intensity advantage due to the emotional connection between viewers and series. By recognizing that the show is not just about the characters but also about the viewer, we create a powerful engagement that sets our content apart. The difference between our approach and the industry’s is stark, like how you care about your family and friends vs. strangers.

To Conclude

Research has unequivocally demonstrated that series developed using our upgraded model will be significantly more appealing than those created under the outdated industry standard. Even when using the same ineffective promotional strategies, our series outshine the competition. With our superior promotional techniques, the advantage becomes even more pronounced. It’s like comparing a championship team to a novice squad.

Our model offers the best of both worlds: effective promotion and captivating content.

The “SVP Development’s Emails” section will take two minutes to read.

Feedback from all TV executives met with was 100% positive; the NBC SVP was the only decision maker met with.

A few years ago, we had the privilege of meeting with an NBC SVP Development for one hour, facilitated by a VP who recognized the revolutionary potential of our model. Normally these meetings last much less than that. Despite our outsider status and the legal constraints of the industry, this meeting was a testament to the groundbreaking nature of our approach.

The SVP’s subsequent emails revealed that, had it not been for the unfortunate timing of our meeting at the end of the buying season, he would have bought two of our series. This is due to what might be the Holy Grail of TV, and motion pictures, during the pitch: Proving how our series will outperform all others being considered.

In today’s increasingly competitive TV landscape, with much more competition now than when meeting with the SVP, our model is even more essential. The proliferation of options demands more effective promotion to cut through the noise, and our upgraded model delivers precisely that.

A Breakthrough Moment: Validating Our Model

Before pitching two series, we proved the critical flaws in the outdated TV model, particularly in the areas of promotion and audience engagement, offered our logical response to the question about creating successful content and explained how our “secret sauce” was discovered in Nielsen research, then validated by Survey Monkey and Facebook. He agreed with every point.

The SVP was immediately impressed by our approach and the ability to predict the success of our series. He recognized that our model could address the industry’s long-standing challenge of creating and promoting successful TV shows.

Our pitch was the promotion for the two series. Before we could explain how maintaining loyalty is built into each episode, the SVP indicated it was unnecessary, as he realized that from the promotion. We didn’t even mention how the promotion from each episode would boost viewership week by week.

He showed a strong interest in acquiring both, stating in one of the many emails that “I want to do business with you.” Confident in their potential to garner high ratings, he noted that NBC-owned production companies would handle their production.

Upon our suggestion that these series might double or triple ratings in their time slots, he agreed.

Added to our positive meetings just for feedback, this encounter solidified our belief that our innovative approach can revolutionize the TV industry. By focusing on audience connection, we can consistently create and promote successful TV series.

The Emails

After expressing our gratitude for his time, the SVP offered to connect us with the Comedy SVP, a significant gesture that underscored his belief in our model. This referral, from a seasoned industry executive, is a testament to the unique effectiveness of our approach. Despite this opportunity, we chose to prioritize other strategic initiatives at that time: (All bold added)

From: Conti, Chris (NBC Universal)
To: ‘Ken’
Subject: RE: Meeting follow up

Ken, I enjoyed the meeting as well – have told Cheryl Dollins – head of Comedy to expect your call

Next he recognized that the success of “Desperate Housewives,” a top-rated show of its time, was attributed to its accidental alignment with our model, which he realized is why its ratings were twice what the average NBC series earned:

From: Conti, Chris (NBC Universal)
To: ‘Ken’
Subject: RE: How we can work together

But I will tell you then when HOUSEWIVES hit I turned to Michael Thorn (Note: VP-Development) and said – (Expletive deleted) that was Ken’s model – so I am a believer – Just a poor one at the moment

These three are self-explanatory, some are continuations of email streams:

From: Conti, Chris (NBC Universal)
To: ‘Ken’
Subject: RE: How we can work together

I want to do business with you, but I have a full slate of 40 including: REAL ESTATE, RELIGION, SUBURBIA and a cop show with Ray Liotta – our guess is at least one or two hit your model – whether they work or not: GE WILL ALSO FIRE ME FOR GOING OVER BUDGET. So there is nothing I can do till after January

From: Conti, Chris (NBC Universal)
To: ‘Ken’
Subject: A calmer e-mail

Ken, sorry i didn’t respond yesterday – I’m out of the office this week. In true network fashion our deal is not closed yet (as you’ve discovered networks don’t do anything fast) – I am eager to talk with you, however until I know the parameters of our deal there is no reason to talk – deal should be done by the end of the week, and then I’ll have new offices and i would love to sit with you. Frankly I’m taking a well desrved vacation – after 15 years without one – and there is nothing to do till the networks finish thier upfronts in MAY and begin focusing on the next year. I want to keep in touch – our deal will close soon

From: Conti, Chris (NBC Universal)
To: ‘Ken’
Subject: RE: Meeting follow-up

Ken, I would love to meet again – but we are out of money – our development for the year is done and we are in the thick of making it. WE will slow down again after the enw year and will get our new budget in the spring – There’s not much I can do until then. But certainly think we should sit and talk again

If you had witnessed the meeting firsthand, it would be obvious that the emails only hint at the SVP’s true level of excitement. He recognized that our model offered a revolutionary approach to TV series development, allowing us to predict success before any investment.

Before we could meet again he was terminated by NBC, received a development deal and indicated he wanted me to join him. Why that did not happen is a story revealing how the TV industry operates. However, the SVP’s initial reaction remains a powerful testament to the potential of our model.

The “Conclusion” section will take one minute to read.

Note: This also applies to motion pictures.

Media and streaming companies are public companies operating under a 70-year-old model with legal, fiduciary and moral obligations to maximize shareholder value from the many billions management is trusted with. But those billions range from underperforming, for the programming, to wasted, for the promotion, and they decide which series to buy by guessing. To repeat, that is why, in the era of smartphones, Amazon and laptops, the industry is creating the equivalent of rotary phones, Sears and typewriters.

Conversely, implementing the ad agency model, and incorporating Nielsen-validated strategies, significantly upgrades the traditional TV series model. Key advantages from the ad agency model include:

1. Ad agencies develop their creative to appeal to the maximum number of people, TV producers develop what appeals to them.

2. Ad agencies must justify to clients why their creative will be successful, TV producers force buyers to guess if it will be successful.

3. Ad agencies’ promotion naturally flows from the product, the TV industry’s promotion is ineffective and the major reason series underperform or fail.

By eliminating the model’s flaws and helping to make a dozen or more series successful year after year, the media or streaming company we team with will become the leader in TV and, perhaps, motion pictures. While we can create a relationship with one for the model-licensing fee, development deal and more, before that we can team with a production company, management company, talent agency, ad agency or VC to also end up with that arrangement or develop to sell many series with one of them. Or we can join with a company wanting to buy all or part of an undervalued media or streaming company.

With people having millions of options but time to view very few in the ultra-competitive 21st century, there is a tremendous difference between knowing how to create a TV show and knowing how to create a successful TV show. While no one in TV can match the latter; TV executives agreed we can since no one could find a weakness in our model, although some tried. The only decision maker wanted to buy two series, while just upgrading promotion will minimize the financial risk in funding TV shows.

Eliminating the Challenge

We haven’t created a TV series. But so have many others given huge development deals, be they politicians or members of “royalty,” and they buy shows from soccer and basketball players, supporting actors, presidential interns, YouTubers, lawyers, police officers, etc., or anyone who cannot correctly answer the key question, how do you create a successful TV series? If the NBC SVP wasn’t let go, this non-issue would not even be an issue.

With every element of our upgraded model rooted in proven TV principles and human nature, the consensus was we’ve redefined the industry with several critical advantages:

1. Enhanced Viewership: Multiple research firms confirm that our promotion will significantly boost audience numbers.

2. Deeper Emotional Connection: Nielsen data validates our ability to forge strong emotional connections with a wider audience, making our series relatable to 60-80% of viewers. This empowers writers to create more compelling episodes.

3. Sustained Engagement: Our model ensures long-term viewer loyalty by incorporating retention strategies into every episode and continuously attracting new audiences through innovative promotion.

4. The Holy Grail: We replace guesswork with proving why series created under our model will outperform all others.

While traditional models struggle to consistently produce hit series, especially given ineffective promotion, our innovative approach empowers us to create or contribute to a dozen or more successful shows annually, a feat unmatched by all others.

To Conclude

While many series creators are “passionate” about their shows, passion is not enough to guarantee success in the television industry. While experienced creators struggle to produce hit shows, our approach, combined with strategic promotion and audience engagement, will create successful series and inspire viewer passion. This, coupled with our ability to prove the potential of our projects during the pitch process, is why all it takes is one forward-thinking media or streaming company to break free from outdated practices and embrace the future of television.

As the media landscape undergoes a major transformation, with Wall Street anticipating increased earnings from undervalued companies, and the long-awaited shake-out getting closer, the media or streaming company we ultimately team with for TV series and motion pictures, perhaps with a partner company, will become the higher-profit leader and, for content we are involved with, won’t be sabotaging success.