Commentary

What Comcast Really Needs From NBC Universal

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 13, 2010

We have a little deeper knowledge about where Comcast is going with its soon-to-be big broadcast/movie studio purchase: NBC Universal should do its own thing -- but with one exception.

First, Brian Roberts, chairman/chief executive officer of Comcast says he doesn't want to "Comcast-ize" the company. We have been hearing this for months -- that Comcast isn't savvy about how NBCU makes TV, movies, or other content.

Roberts suggests NBCU will be left to its own devices, which should also help toward getting a nice favorable decision from Federal regulators. But there is one area he hinted could make a bridge: entertainment marketing.

Roberts said, "We have to learn from the content industry how to market even better than we do today." This should please the likes of NBCU Chief Marketing Officer John Miller, and Adam Stotsky, president of entertainment marketing for NBC.

Roberts is so right. For the most part, the cable industry has given marketing short shrift. Instead, the business has relied on consumers discovering the value of what cable operators bring to the party.

NBC's success in the 1990s came not just from quality content, but also from how it was sold to consumers. Even today, as a fourth-place network, NBC's strong fan bases for "The Office," "The Biggest Loser" or "30 Rock" are built with good marketing efforts.

As we all know, consumers haven't always had positive perceptions of their local cable operators. For Roberts there are, of course, other issues -- like promoting all of Comcast's new video-on-demand movie services, as well as its Internet destination area, Fancast.

But Comcast could also use more of an overall brand marketing re-imaging.

If NBC can help make a still-stodgy brand like Comcast a cool thing with its video services -- like what Apple has become, or perhaps even what marketing muscle NBC executives have given to Hulu.com -- that will go a long way in making the merger not only a business success, but also a brand that consumers actually root for.

m&a, tv

2 comments about "What Comcast Really Needs From NBC Universal ".

Check to receive email when comments are posted.

Jon Lohr from Thompson Everett, Inc., May 13, 2010 at 11:14 a.m.
Perhaps NBCU should learn something from Comcast's marketing-style instead...maybe if people received direct mail pieces from them once/twice a week, EVERY week, touting how great "Parenthood" is, it'd be the #2 show on TV...
Reply

Jonathan Mirow from BroadbandVideo, Inc., May 13, 2010 at 12:44 p.m.

Hello NBC - Print this out and tape it to the fridge in your office(s):
1) If you work in NBC HR - You're fired.
2) If you work in NBC Marketing / Advertising - You're fired.
3) If you work in NBC accounting, legal or admin - you're SO fired.
4) If you work in business development, strategy or planning - well, what do YOU think?
5) If you're a medium to low-level grunt who loads tape machines or actually knows the passwords to the web servers - You'll have a job until somebody's cousin at Comcast graduates from trade school.

Don't take my word for it - talk to ANYBODY who has been through one of these and they'll tell you the same same story. I couldn't make this stuff up. Meanwhile, go to all the "Managing Change" classes you can (while NBC / Comcast is still picking up the tab), go to as many industry conferences as you can (bring your resume) and take out that second mortgage while your credit is still good - you're gonna need it. Once you file chapter another 50-90k of debt won't matter - but it might keep you from being homeless a bit longer.