Marketer’s Edge: Buy Conan, Sell NBC (Good Luck With That!)

By: Derek Harmsworth

(Derek Harmsworth is a marketing and public relations manager major. He is a contributing writer for TVDoneWright.com)

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way first and foremost. I consider myself a bit of a late night TV snob. Secondly, I am a long-time, die-hard fan of Conan O’Brien.

Having watched late night TV since early 2000, I immediately latched onto O’Brien, a tall, awkward redhead who came on following the Tonight Show in the 12:35 time slot. His wacky humour, combined with his cast of characters, helped make late night TV unpredictable, off the wall, and downright fun.

As you can guess, I am the guy who had the to-the-day countdown for when O’Brien was scheduled to take over the Tonight Show desk. It was a dream come true, for O’Brien, and his loyal fans like myself.

I, like many other loyal fans, will never forget the last night of Late Night, and the very first night that the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien hit the airwaves in June of 2009.

No one who follows late night TV as constantly as I do will ever forget the look on O’Brien’s eyes as he strolled onto the set for the first time, taking the reigns of late night TV’s “it” show.

Of course, some seven months later, and everything has changed.

O’Brien just signed a settlement with NBC around 1am last night which will see him vacate the Tonight Show desk, as well as leave NBC all together. It’s a sad day for all fans of CoCo, but one they knew was coming for some time now.

Being such a devout follower of Conan, a lot of people have asked me my general feelings on the whole issue. For the record, it’s a sad state of affairs for NBC and the late night television schedule.

It’s unfair the way they treated Conan, who had been nothing short of a good soldier for NBC for nearly twenty years. I do for the most part blame NBC for this mess they created. I don’t however, buy the story that Jay Leno is as innocent as he’d like the viewing public to believe.

Even if he is innocent in the decision process, he struggled with his own show, so now he is taking back his old show, all the while not caring about the well being of others, and only looking out for himself.

In a way, I guess one could argue that’s how hollywood, and the business, works.

For his part, it looks like O’Brien will go out with a bang.

Since this mess became very public, O’Brien’s show has been red-hot in the ratings, and his verbal jabs at NBC have been both well deserved, and wildly creative and entertaining.

Last night’s show was special for anyone who watched as well. Ed Helms of the Office and The Hangover fame dropped by to sing O’Brien a goodbye song, and likely much to the chagrin of NBC management, Conan let his good friend the Masturbating Bear out to play at 11:35 for the first time ever.

The show also featured Adam Sandler and Joel McHale, two funny men who are also close friends of the redheat host.

It does look like O’Brien will be out of a job come Saturday morning, as Friday is slated to be his final show.

For his part, O’Brien is leaving the same way he came in. With guests who were on the first week of his show (close friends Tom Hanks and Will Ferrell.) Despite the public ousting, he also leaves with his head held high, and his class still in check.

It looks as though NBC will negotiate to have O’Brien sit on the sidelines until September. This clause, almost a no compete clause of course, is NBC’s attempt to hone down O’Brien’s current popularity in the wake of the way he has been treated at NBC. For O’Brien, it will be a welcome few months to get away from this mess for a while, and spend time with is beloved family before going back to work, likely with FOX.

As a marketing and public relations major, I am buying Conan O’Brien all the way. He will take this time off, but his rabid fans will not let him be forgotten. Not only that, one could also argue that he has gained a new legion of followers in the wake of the way NBC has treated him.

O’Brien has always been the good guy. And that will continue in September if and when he decides to get back into the Late Night game. O’Brien’s fans will follow him wherever he goes, and new fans will also be interested to see how O’Brien does in the wake of his release from NBC.

He always has been a marketers dream for his bright personality and his hair, but right now, O’Brien’s marketability is through the roof. Both he, and his new network will benefit highly from an O’brien return after a few months in exile.

As for NBC, not so much. The way they treated a long time employee has many sour on their organization as a whole. Some are even calling for an NBC boycott, though I thought with the ratings, an NBC boycott had been in effect for the last few years already.

From a marketing and public relations standpoint, NBC is the grinch. I wouldn’t touch them with a ten foot pole.

Posted by Adam Wright on January 23, 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry