Getting To Know You – Part 4

In the final post of our “Getting to Know You” blog series, we are introducing you to our software architect, Wes Benwick.  Wes is the one responsible for the design and functionality of our amazing software.  BluHorn has been in the media buying game for eight years, but about four years ago our team took over the platform and redesigned it from the ground up.  Wes continues to keep BluHorn on the cutting edge of buyer and planner needs, and is always available to those looking for custom integrations and features.

What is your role at BluHorn?

As the software architect behind BluHorn, I’m responsible for the overall design and functionality of the platform.  Occasionally, I still sling code.

What did you do before you were with BluHorn?

Before there was a BluHorn, I created (with the help of some other great developers) a document management system named the Virtual File Cabinet which was built on technology we built from scratch, called FileLogix.

What’s your favorite part of working for BluHorn/in the software biz?

I genuinely love solving problems with technology.  Listening to what users want and then designing and developing a solution that saves them time, space, labor or money is my motivation every day.

What’s your favorite feature of BluHorn?

The worksheets, with their embedded formulas, real time calculations and sheer amount of data for analysis still amaze me every time I see in action.

What do you wish people knew about BluHorn?

I want everyone to know that the current version of BluHorn was built from the ground up by myself and a handful of other developers.  If our software was food, it would be gourmet.  I like to think of us as software chefs, cooking up personalized and customized code based on our customers preferences.  Our platform is truly unique, it has the potential to be anything we want it to be.

Where do you live/what BluHorn office are you located in?

I’m a native of Jacksonville, and primarily work out of that office, although much of my daily life is spent in the “cloud”, slicing and dicing up code, testing new features and spending countless hours every week on the phone with real users.

How long have you lived in Jacksonville?

Born and raised right here since 1977.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Free time?  Not really sure what that is.

Describe your BluHorn experience in one word.

Limitless.

This is the fourth and final installment of our blog series, which allows our users and potential users to get to know our leadership team.  Our company prides itself on our accessibility and customer service.  We spend countless hours communicating with our clients, and we realize it’s nice to put a “face with a name”.    These profiled leadership team members are the ones who are turning the wheels behind the scenes, ensuring that BluHorn continues to be the user-friendly and forward-thinking software that our customers have come to know and trust.

BluHorn is a 100% web-based media buying and media planning software.  Integrations are available with Nielsen, comScore and Quickbooks Online.  For a 14 day RISK FREE trial, visit us at bluhorn.com.

TV: The More Things Change…

In today’s world, the idea of traditional television viewing seems to be a thing of the past. With the major networks still in play, plus hundreds of cable networks and dozens of user-generated internet subscription content all adding in their own unique programming, must-see TV isn’t a label that is used anymore. It is now a struggle to find a program that is universally discussed at the water cooler.

In the eyes of many advertisers, this saturation of the marketplace seems to be a deterrent in their willingness to include television as part of their media plans. And with the phenomenon of “cord-cutting” hitting the news, many clients/advertisers feel that no one is watching the spots that they are putting out on the air.

So how are media buyers combating clients that are terrified of cord-cutters and internet provided content? Most buyers seemingly continue to seek out the traditional “appointment television”. Realistically, finding those key programs that still are demanding viewers watching in real time is the key to successfully gaining eyes-on impressions. The question remains, during which programs are consumers not fast-forwarding through commercial breaks on their DVR or selecting clips on their smart TV?

The simple answer is news and sports. These types of content have always been major players in the “appointment television” field and are rumored to keep the cord-cutting phenomenon at bay. While most major networks are still available “over the air” with the right antenna – but sports are a different thing altogether. For example, pay-TV companies must pay ESPN the highest fees per subscriber: more than quadruple the next priciest network, according to estimates from SNL Kagan. It’s because of these numbers that sports have often been left out of 100% online streaming options. And according to a survey by Clearleap – fans of the “big three” professional sports in the U.S. (baseball, basketball and football) prefer to watch their games on traditional television broadcasts.

While points can be argued both ways, and statistics can prove the migration to more households making a switch in their provider type, it should be known that television is still being consumed. According to MediaLife, television consumption was at 32.4 hours per week last year, representing 50.2% of all U.S. media consumption. Projections in to 2017 read that it would decrease slightly but only just below 50%.

So don’t let your clients lose hope in TV just yet. According to PQ Media’s Global Consumer Media Usage & Exposure Forecast 2015-19, traditional television viewing will continue to dominate user consumption through 2019. By focusing on the efficiency numbers that ratings services generate, adding television to a client’s media mix will remain to be a smart move and one that buyers should feel comfortable standing behind for the foreseeable future.

Reboot Is the New Black

Photo from Amazon.com

 

Americans love a good comeback.  Whether it’s retro toys being produced (Fisher Price is even remaking the rotary phones), a tour by a throwback band (hello New Kids on the Block/Boyz II Men), or a successful re-imagining of a movie (Jumanji is killing it right now at the box office), it proves that you can in fact come home again!  Good old fashioned nostalgia makes you feel good.

Network television seems to have taken that point to heart.  This year alone there have been several well-loved 1990’s programs that reappeared in the TV guide, even with the same cast.  Will & Grace, Roseanne and Jersey Shore have brought back characters that America knew and loved to prove that classics never die.  Roseanne garnered a whopping 18.2 million viewers for the premiere, and while it’s come down a bit to 13 and 12 million in the following weeks, that’s enough to keep it at the top of the ratings heap for prime time Tuesdays.

Even shows that aren’t bringing back their same cast have found a way to reinvent themselves for a revival.  Queer Eye, a popular show from 2003, brought in a new “Fab 5” and is now appearing on Netflix.  Muppet Babies, a popular 1980s cartoon, has re-appeared on the Disney Channel and introduced a new Muppet to today’s youth, and likely their parents that are watching for a glimpse of their past.

These successful launches are just the beginning.  Within the span of 48 hours in February, CBS announced the reboot of Murphy Brown (with the original cast), Cagney & Lacey, and Magnum P.I..  Other networks have joined in, announcing that fan favorites like The Greatest American Hero (ABC), Charmed (CW), and Party of Five (Freeform) will all see airtime again soon!  Some even taking new spins, like the Party of Five reboot adding an immigration twist.

Some media critics and writers see this uprise in reboots as a “farewell tour” for television.  They are quick to comment that networks have lost creative know-how so they are just regurgitating old classics.  The truth of the matter is that networks are still writing new shows, and green-lighting other pilots.  Maybe all these reboots won’t be successful, or even end up fully on-air, but they are giving it a shot.

Re-airing popular old shows is not a new concept.  Nick at Nite was a pioneer of breathing new life into old programming.  Granted it was just showing reruns of classics like Laugh-In and The Beverly Hillbillies, but the concept of nostalgia was there.  And the hit series I Love Lucy left the air in May of 1957, only to have the stars pop up six months later on The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show.  There’s a history of recycling on television that traces back to its roots.

Photo from ABC

So what does this mean for a media planner or a media buyer?  Are you going to take a gamble and get in early with the new reboot programs?  Will you try to capitalize on the American viewer’s curiosity?  If the recent success of the reboots of 2017 and 2018, such as Roseanne, One Day at a Time, or The X-Files give any indication, it seems like a safe bet.

 

 

 

BluHorn® is THE media buying solution that was created by media buyers, for media buyers. This software was developed with the input of more than  50 small to midsize advertising, marketing and digital media firms throughout  the United States.  Organize, analyze and send media buys for broadcast TV, cable TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital media.  We offer integration with Nielsen and comScore ratings services.  Get 14 days risk free by registering at bluhorn.com.