Disney Quietly Kills 20th Century Fox TV
Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5WPR
Nearly everyone who’s been to the movies or who owns a TV is immediately familiar with the brand: A massive monolith of stacked letters and numbers spelling out “20th Century Fox.” Now, Disney, which owns 20th Century Fox Television, is altering this household-known brand, again, to better fit the plans the company has for the future.
Press reports about the change indicate that Disney plans to excise “Century” from the studio’s brand, several months after the studio initially dropped “Fox” back in January. This will leave the brand representation as “20th Television.” Viewers will begin to notice this change when it debuts in the fall, but only attached to new episodes of current or debuting 20th Television TV series. Older shows will retain the familiar branding.
The impetus behind the change, which may seem awkward to viewers and fans at first, makes sense. Disney now owns several Fox properties, and the company wants to avoid any confusion the splitting of Fox properties may cause. As it currently stands, Fox Corporation still owns Fox Entertainment, Fox Sports, and Fox News.
This is only the first of several similar moves Disney will make with previously-owned or newly acquired properties, including ABC Studios, ABC Signature Studios, and Fox 21. Speaking about the branding changes, Disney TV studios president, Craig Hunegs, said: “Our new studio names and logos mark a new day for ABC Signature, 20th Television, and Touchstone Television while honoring their rich histories and the creative power of The Walt Disney Company…”
The move also reflects the tectonic shifts in entertainment media over the past few years. While networks had been silos and monoliths for decades, forays into streaming and changes in consumer demand, have led to media company mergers and new ideas on how to turn a profit in the business of small-screen entertainment.
That flurry of mergers and changes leaves many brands either diluted or blended, which consumers may find confusing. It’s incumbent, then, on these brands to re-establish their name and likeness in the small screen marketplace, whether their programming is on traditional TV or through mobile devices.
From a consumer PR and entertainment PR perspective, these dynamics highlight why it’s a good idea to review where a brand is in the market, how the audience understands and defines it, and where it stands in their perception versus the competition. This should be done on a regular basis, as well as when any major changes are made that might alter the market perception of a brand image.
About the Author: Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading PR agency.