Shark Week: A ‘Finny’ Thing Happened on the Way to the Marketing and Promotions Meeting

Sunday, July 28th marks the beginning of the 31^st annual Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

31 years. Yes. I know.

But strong ratings (39.4 million viewers last year good for 4^th among 18-49 according to Nielsen) and a decade of buzz worthiness qualifies Shark Week as an actual “thing.”

In fact it’s enough of a thing that you should be part of it in some way.

Go All In

The Discovery Network of course is where you can watch the week unfold. And – of course – they’re all in. They’ve even given Shark Week its own online home and populated the site with an extraordinary amount of content including a week-long show schedule grid, stories, as well as jaw (sorry – couldn’t resist) dropping photos and videos.

There are even shark-themed party-food recipes that guests will love to sink their teeth into.

As an aside, this page is a master class on how to really get behind something that your station or brand is involved in.

Some Big Brands are Also in the Water – and for Good Reason: Visibility

Discovery isn’t alone in the water here. Indeed there’s a rich history of brands that either have or are tapping into this cultural phenomenon. Dunkin Donuts, Ben & Jerry’s, iHop, Volkswagen, Wendy’s, Malibu Rum, and Arby’s have all inserted their brands into the Shark Week conversation.

Inviting yourself to this party is something your station should do too (and not just Shark Week – all events that capture listeners’ attention and result in their engagement). Because attaching yourself to an existing talk-about is like pouring a healthy dose of rocket fuel into your “visibility gas tank.”

5 Ways to Join the Party

Shark Week is a party you should be at – even if you don’t arrive early and stay late.

Here are five ways to make that happen:

1. Hijack the hash tag – #SharkWeek. Use it on posts and memes that have Shark Week connections (even far-fetched ones) to something you’re doing at the station. Do this to expand your footprint by introducing your station to people who may not be aware of it. You’ll also be providing some fun for you regulars. Remember that is more than OK to have fun with your brand.
2. As long as you’re hashtagging, also tag people or groups who you target.
3. For sales, use this piece (Marketing Tips in Honor of Shark Week) as the inspirational springboard for something you will write today to send to your clients.
4. Be like the Discovery Channel: Reinvent your Shark Week hijack-programming each year. Adding and updating will continue to fuel relevance.
5. Use Shark Week as a springboard to elevate your cultural alertness. If you don’t have one already, use this week to build a cultural impact calendar. That is, a calendar of what’s coming up that our listeners and advertisers will be engaged in and/or talking about. Use this as an on ongoing-prompt for when and how you will be involved.

Not Everyone Will Get It

Of course Shark Week will not be on every listener’s radar. Nor will everyone care or even “get” the Shark Week things you’re doing.

But that’s the point, actually.

Those who ARE into Shark Week (or March Madness or Valentine’s Day) WILL get it and WILL know that YOU made them feel special.

Besides the benefits that come with “being in the moment,” you might well wind up with some new fins fans in the process.

Related:

It Only Takes Two Things to Be In the Moment,

Buzz Ride: Earned Media Thoughts via Apple