25 June 2009 week 26 New Fun Jochen Starke explains RTL II’s new brand attitude Germany United Kingdom Antonia Rados reporting TalkbackThames opens from Iran production in Scotland France Croatia Bibiane Godefroid on new A new idol emerges from programmes for M6 Hrvatska trazi zvijezdu COVER: Marketing poster to promote RTL II’s new look (excerpt) 2 week 26 the RTL Group intranet “Taking another step forward” As RTL II is sharpening its channel profile, Backstage spoke with Jochen Starke about the repositioning of the TV brand. Jochen Starke Germany - 26 June 2009 Based on the Roland Berger Brand Profiler, Profiler is the most successful methodology for currently the most successful method for deve- developing brand and marketing strategies, loping brand and marketing strategies, and a and looks at the basic values and needs of study on “Fun” by the HumanLink Agentur für customers and brands as part of a holistic Verhaltensforschung (HumanLink Agency for value system. The particular challenge lay in Ethology), RTL II has developed a new, sharper analysing and interpreting this for the media positioning. Outwardly this is represented by a market and specifically the TV market. new logo and the claim ‘it’s fun’. In addition to Roland Berger, we commissioned The claim represents the TV channel’s new the HumanLink institute’s Christiane Tramitz, a attitude. Fun stands for lightness, joy and noted behavioural researcher, to investigate the everything positive in life and serves as both a basics of the theme of fun and above all the slogan and an all-encompassing bracket for associated media usage behaviour. We gathe- brand communications. The basic idea of a red the results from both research approaches positive, lively attitude is also reflected in the and applied them to our brand and the TV programmes. RTL II is pure funtainment. market. Carsten Molis developed ‘it’s fun’ in The channel has also appointed its first ‘Fun Ambassador’ – musician Lady Gaga, whose new song Love Game is the first official RTL II ‘it’s fun’ sound. A video specially produced in Canada by RTL II, along with adverts and Internet integration, complete the cooperation with the top act. The new brand attitude and design officially launches on-air on 28 June 2009 on Welt der Wunder. Its introduction will be accompanied by a major on- and off-air marketing campaign. In the lead-up to the launch, Backstage spoke with Jochen Starke, Managing Director of RTL II, about the new design and the channel’s new attitude. Mr. Starke, what is the rationale behind the new look? The initial spark was the debate about the Roland Berger Brand Profiler as an analytical tool for RTL II’s future positioning. The RB RTL II’s poster campaign 3 week 26 the RTL Group intranet close cooperation with Opium Effect. The result is a well-positioned brand which will give viewers and advertisers a lot of fun and enjoy- ment. So ‘it’s fun’ is the TV channel’s new attitude. The attribute of fun fits perfectly into the current social environment. Fun stands for lightness, joy and everything positive in life and is both a slogan and a bracket for all brand communica- tions. What communications measures are supporting the launch? All communications measures are systemati- cally centred around the theme of fun. The new look launches on-air on 28 June 2009 on Welt der Wunder. Presenter Hendrik Hey will explain the power of brands using RTL II, its new claim and the channel’s distinctive design as an example, and declare the official launch of ‘it’s fun’. One of the channel’s most extensive adverti- sing campaigns begins in July. Twelve different advertising motifs will appear in magazines and major newspapers. Our logo will appear in the ads as a fresh and innovative three-dimensio- nal shape in five different colours: purple, azure, orange, red and lemon. Apart from the brilliant visuals, the campaign is also remarka- ble for its cost effectiveness. We carried out this development as part of our normal marke- ting cycle and achieved it without a big budget – good things don’t have to be expensive. One surprise is the collaboration with Lady Gaga. What’s the story behind this? This is a real highlight. We managed to get the trendy megastar for the cooperation as RTL II’s first ‘Fun Ambassador’. She is celebrating worldwide chart successes with Poker Face – it was number one in the US, UK and Germany – and basically personifies pure joie de vivre and fun. She will deliver the statement “RTL II, it’s fun” on-air on a trailer specially made by us. Her new song Love Game will also be the first official RTL II ‘it’s fun’ sound. It will help us convey the channel’s positive attitude to the outside world, making it the perfect RTL II ‘it’s It’s fun posters campaign fun’ endorsement. 4 week 26 the RTL Group intranet What goals do you hope to achieve with the relaunch? The time had come for RTL II to take another step forward. ‘it’s fun’ will make the channel clearly distinguishable from the competition and raise our profile. We have come to know even more about the lives and values of our consumer audience, and are aligning the brand communications, programmes and marketing more effectively to our audience structure and their wishes. How will your sharpened profile affect RTL II’s programming? The basic idea of a positive, lively attitude has long been reflected in our programming. Hence, programmes like Zuhause im Glück – Unser Einzug in ein neues Leben, Big Brother, The Dome and Grip – Das Motormagazin are already successful formats associated with the attributes of fun and entertainment in their best form. This programming will be further honed and consistently expanded, as proven for example by the new episodes of Kochprofis “Life has a purpose: it’s fun.” and the new format Baustelle Liebe. ‘it’s fun’ will also play a major role in future purchases, of course. 5 week 26 the RTL Group intranet Antonia Rados on the situation in Iran The Middle East expert Antonia Rados explains the changes the country has witnessed since the presidential election. Antonia Rados Germany - 19 June 2009 Antonia Rados had been reporting for RTL How big is the split in the country? Television and N-TV from the Iranian capital, You could say that Iran is experiencing its worst Tehran, for two weeks – in television reports crisis for 30 years. Iran is divided into a and a separate blog at RTLaktuell.de. The Mussawi camp and an Ahmadinejad camp. The Middle East expert has visited the country positions taken in this greatest crisis of the frequently in recent years and is regarded as an Islamic Republic seem to be irreconcilable. The authority on the political and social conditions big question is how the two sides can now be there. In an RTL Television interview, the multi- brought together under a common denomina- award-winning reporter describes the current tor. Both camps are not monolithic blocks. And situation on the streets and the changes the Mussawi himself is not really a strict proponent country has experienced since the presidential of political openness, even if he is described as election. Meanwhile, Antonia Rados had to a political reformer. leave the country as her visa had expired. How long will the demonstrators keep it up Ms. Rados, what is the current situation on in your opinion? the streets of Tehran? That is hard to predict. But the protesters won’t On the sixth day of the demonstrations it has disappear from the streets from one day to the become something of a ritual: The opposition, next; there are too many of them for that to Mussawi supporters, call an illegal protest and happen. Many here fear that there may be thousands turn up. Usually, the main large-scale bloodshed. Preventing this is the demonstration proceeds relatively peacefully; priority right now. the police hardly arrest anyone. The real trouble always begins after nightfall, when the Was the vehemence of the protests militia of the Islamic Youth, armed with batons, predictable after the election results were violently drive off the remaining young announced? protesters. Even some time ago, as reporters in Iran, we constantly heard very critical voices. The Does this intimidation have any effect? Iranians don’t mince their words. Unrest has Thousands upon thousands show up for the become increasingly fierce over the last few demonstrations every day. The people we years, especially among young women speak to assure us that they are no longer regarding their clothes, and now the barrel of afraid – they’re very clear on this. discontent has begun to overflow, so to speak. 6 week 26 the RTL Group intranet It will depend on the very robust institutions of How keenly are you feeling the media res- the state apparatus, which currently appear to trictions in practice? be very concerned about the situation and are As international journalists we are having great seeking a solution. difficulties in reporting. But let’s not forget that the Iranian journalists are the ones who have Will there still be a run-off or even new the real difficulties. Personally, I haven’t been elections in the end? threatened by anyone. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think so; that would be too great a loss that threats against journalists don’t exist. of face for Ahmadinejad and Iran’s supreme I have had my camera taken off me, my leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.