The remaking, revamping, or reuniting of any 80s, 90s, or 2000s television show or cast is the 2010s and 2020s way of bringing nostalgic tv back to the forefront of everyone’s minds, and we think businesses should get in on the ground floor. Â
If you’re a fan of tv at all, then you’re aware of one very common theme in modern television creation: reboots, spinoffs, and prequels are a show’s ticket to success. In recent years, this trend has become an exciting way to entice viewers from all generations to tune in to a network’s new (old) show. From Sex and the City, to How I Met Your Father, to Saved By the Bell and beyond, tv reboots, spinoffs, and prequels are all the rage, and because of that, they’re the perfect place for your business to begin advertising.
Other than the commonality that the majority of these reboots come with fanfare and an obvious amount of excitement, the one thing you can almost guarantee is that 9 times out of 10 it is a streaming service that is bringing these shows back to life, if even for a short amount of time. You can open up nearly any streaming service today and find a reboot, spinoff, or prequel to satisfy your nostalgic desire.
Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, is home to reboots such as Bel Air, Saved By the Bell, and Punky Brewster; whereas, Disney+’s major reboot is the continuation of the early 2000s animated tv show The Proud Family, only this time it is called The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Hulu recently launched the spinoff to the CBS hit How I Met Your Mother, this time titling it How I Met Your Father. Other streaming services that have joined in on the fun are Netflix with shows such as Fuller House, One Day at a Time, and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. There is also Paramount+ who recently launched an iCarly reboot, as well as a prequel story from Grease titled Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies that is set to premiere later this year. And finally, there is HBOMax. Their reboots include, but are not limited to, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and And Just Like That, The Sex and the City reboot.
With so many shows to choose from, it’s easy for viewers to never run out of content. You know what else this trend is good for? Advertising. The commonality shared between each of these streaming services is that they offer ad-free or ad-tier subscriptions. With the ad-tier subscriptions, the users pay less, but they have to watch commercials. This is where your business comes in. Every time a new reboot or spinoff is announced, people go crazy. Social media channels start blowing up. Fan theories begin to form. It’s a whole thing, but it’s a great thing, because that means that there is a higher chance that the eyes of all those excited watchers could be on your content if even for a brief moment.
What many of the streaming services will warn is that ad buying on their platforms is much different than that of traditional tv placement. You’re not selecting the specific time slot you want your ad to run, but rather you’re purchasing ad space based on the platforms’ audience segments. With this, you run the risk of not being placed during the new episode of How I Met Your Father or iCarly, but what is happening is your ads are being served on that platform at some point in time, which could subsequently build your brand awareness. The greatest part of the boom in television remakes is the nostalgia that it creates, as well as the sense of urgency to see the new season of {insert tv show here} as quickly as possible; therefore, more people are subscribing to more streaming services, upping your ads’ chances of being seen.
If your business is focused on being placed in a specific spot, you’ve got options! Most streaming platforms now offer what they call ‘presenting sponsorships’. This is where the advertiser can pay to have their named linked to the episode being presented (i.e. “Rethink Media Group presents Saved By the Bell“). These sponsorships come with perks. Not only is your name linked to the episode from the beginning, but the episode is usually presented with limited commercials (making you the ultimate hero) and, for the right price, of course, this comes with the option of in-show product integration or branded content, meaning exclusive rights to commercials during that episode. It’s an expensive deal, but a sweet deal if you’ve got the means to make it happen.
It’s no secret that nostalgia is the best way to target the majority of people. Streaming services certainly have tapped into that. With the sudden rise in reboots, spinoffs, and prequels, it’s to no one’s surprise that advertisers are chomping at the bit to join in on the fun. Next time you’re indulging in a little nostalgic television binge, make sure to pay attention to the advertisers. You never know when one of those advertisers could be you.