Mister courier makes basically daily knock-knocks on my door (today twice already - thanks Disney, thanks SABC3) with press releases, information and packages and dispatches about television.
A lot is from marketing or publicity or PR agencies who clearly have no clue and will never and won't ever even just pick up the phone to find out how to actually do it right. They're blissfully ignorant or arrogant, have budget but no brains, and no idea what TV critics and writers and journalists covering television in South Africa (or the real ones at least) want and require and really need.
Some do get it right though. Some get it constantly right, and some have moments of brilliance.
Some don't realize that they have no chance (or little chance) of breaking through the tremendous clutter in a multiverse of television in South Africa where TV critics have to cover SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, e.tv,M-Net the myriad channels on DStv, the channels on TopTV and community TV stations. How do you make sure you're information is seen, absorbed and responded to by someone writing about television for a living?
Therefore so refreshing to yesterday get a little media press pack from The Universal Channel (DStv 117) now in HD on DStv. It was simple, beautiful and done just right because someone took care and attention. And there's little I value more than when you can see someone made an effort.
What is the best thing about the little press pack which instantly stood out and made me intrinsically very happy as a TV critic and came from the At Vogue PR agency?
The amazing, amazing rich purple A5 size, Univeral Channel branded carton bag and the Universal Channel logo in simple, bright white. Beautiful. Perfect. A brand is represented and is utlized and represented correctly and visibly and in a way that instantly demands attention.
Without even knowing what show it was for (Rookie Blue, season three and the 20th and final season of Law & Order for the first time in high definition in South Africa) just the bag already was instantly on brand, in focus, and immediately created an impression and perception of: We're classy, we're have a quality TV property and we want to communicate to you, we have a vibrant colour that's part of our brand and logo, and we are using it to the maximum and correct effect for impact.
Oh. There was also a handwritten note. Even though all the TV critics probably got the same, it still means someone took time to write and to write to me. It makes it feel personal. And because The Universal Channel took time to correspond to me; I will take time to make a real effort in writing about these shows.
The Universal Channel's high gloss promo card with key art and all the relevant programming detail was plain and simple and straight foward using complementary colour wheel colours. No excessive clutter and nonsense and things which detracts from what it is that someone is trying to bring under my attention. Too few people these days do that.
The third season of Rookie Blue is on The Universal Channel on Mondays at 20:00. The final and 20th season of Law & Order starts on Wednesday 17 October at 20:00.
