Food Network
Food Network was looking to drive viewers to their newly launched “Nighttime” block – a group of shows that were more entertainment based – and less geared towards the “stand and stir” shows the network was known for. Thus, they needed a campaign that would set the stage for their all-important nighttime offering.
Alton Brown was already a well-known host on the network. Alton is a fascinating walking encyclopedia of food and food-related history. He was the perfect choice to lead off the nighttime block. The only thing Food Network needed was a campaign that showcased his smarts and highlighted the network’s entertainment block.
Our goal was two-fold; to create a national campaign that both accentuated Alton’s food related smarts, while also being entertaining enough to change perceptions of what was then, mostly a bland cooking format. We wrote and directed two spots that ran on and off channel while supporting the effort with out of home billboards and print in major markets. The campaign did exceptionally well for Food Network which saw a significant increase in tune-in for Alton, which spilled over for network’s evening block of entertainment based shows.
