The Weather Channel's media VP chats about connecting with extreme sports enthusiasts, expanding brand perceptions and the value of on-air vs. online audiences.
Jodi Harris: The Weather Channel's new broadband site for "Epic Conditions" goes after a very specific demographic: extreme sports enthusiasts. From a marketing standpoint, what is the link between adventure sports and weather?
Tom Flournoy: While one of the demographics we are targeting is the outdoor adventure sports enthusiast, we are also targeting a broader group of people who we refer to as psychological thrill-seekers, meaning they have a need for excitement and change in stimulation and experience. Adventure sports and weather are joined at the hip, which is one of the storylines through all the shows. Depending on the sport, perfect weather can mean clear blue skies (skydiving), high winds (sailing), raging water (whitewater rafting), or perfect snow (skiing) just to name a few.
The program and content are attractive to a broad audience since viewers and online users are able to experience these incredible weather-dependent sports through the eyes of these extreme athletes.
Harris: What type of original content will the new broadband site feature? Does it offer anything that fans of the show can't get from viewing the episodes on TV?
Flournoy: A great deal of our content online is original and made specifically for the web. The Weather Channel has commissioned several original short-form pieces from Warren Miller Entertainment and a few other TV production companies to continue the adrenaline rush that starts with the "Epic Conditions" show. We added clips from the same sports you can see in the shows, and added a few other sports as well. One of the most popular clips on the Epic site is one that tells the story of a man in a wingsuit who you see flying down a mountain at tree-top level at more than 100 miles per hour.
Harris: As a network where viewers turn for quick news and information, The Weather Channel's original entertainment programming seems like it would be a tricky property to promote online. How does "Epic Conditions" (both the show and the broadband site) work to expand TWC's brand recognition and to build a favorable brand perception?
Flournoy: With the "Epic Conditions" show and the Epic broadband channel, we are trying to show our viewers and visitors that we see weather as more than the forecast. We see the weather as a much bigger force that drives our moods and inspires us to do great things. As we have heard consistently and repeatedly in our research, once people see that broader connection that weather has with life, they expect us to deliver on that concept.
Harris: New episodes of "Epic Conditions" were available on the broadband channel until the October 1 TV premiere. Why did TWC choose to premiere online? Is it a concern that this decision might take potential viewers away from the network?
Flournoy: The Weather Channel online audience is just as valuable to us as our on-air audience, and we are content to have our programs consumed in whatever manner people find most convenient. We also felt that the "Epic Conditions" shows were so good that the online premiere would create awareness and generate some buzz which would actually help, not erode, ratings.
Harris: Can you share any information on how the new broadband site is performing?
Flournoy: It's still early but we are happy with the traffic, especially with the huge response from several extreme sports groups.
Harris: Are there any plans to expand this site or offer new features after season two of "Epic Conditions" is over?
Flournoy: Our plans are to continue adding video content and supporting content as we see which types play the best with the audience.
Jodi Harris is managing editor at iMedia Connection. Read full bio.
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