Snuffy the Seal and the King of Summer are now gone (but certainly not forgotten) as Discovery gears up for the “most wonderful week of the year.”

Shark Week 2015 is coming to TVs and live streams everywhere July 5-12, but Discovery has been busy marketing the perennial event for months.

With a kick-off promo complete with a new song, Discovery made it clear that this year Shark Week will be celebrated in a whole new way as the most wonderful week of the year.

“What we have seen year after year is an evolution of Shark Week to become a celebration,” said Josh Kovolenko, VP of marketing and strategy at Discovery Channel. “No one’s a bigger fans of sharks than ourselves, and we see that our fans are just as big fans as we are. And we see people celebrating along with us.”

The idea for celebration and “the most wonderful week” aligned perfectly with its new premiere date, on the Fourth of July weekend, much earlier than its typical scheduling in August.

“We know folks will be celebrating independence,” said Kovolenko. “So we’re calling on people to celebrate their ‘findepedence.’”

Playing on iconography of Americana, fireworks and beach days, Discovery created a marketing plan to go along with one’s ideal summer celebration. Partnerships with Macy’s and MLB teams added to the summer strategy and fireworks shows leading up to Shark Week added to its alignment with the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The newly branded take on the holiday song just seemed to add to that celebratory tone.

“The song really reverberated with us,” said Kovolenko. “The first time we heard it we were singing it for the rest of the day.”

One of the newest things for Shark Week this year is Discovery’s deal with Meerkat to live stream elements of its programming.

Meerkat live streams, available through Discovery’s DLive website, the Meerkat app and through @SharkWeek social platforms, feature interviews with “Finbassador” shark experts, “Shark on the Street” Q&As, a live shark feeding from the National Aquarium in Baltimore and behind-the-scenes footage of Shark Week.

“The cornerstone of our brand, which has also really been exemplified through Shark Week, is try to use the latest technology and be forward-thinking when it comes to connecting fans with stories and fans with nature and fans with fans. Meerkat is just that latest opportunity to bring people together.”

Elsewhere on social media, Shark Week is continuing its successful run of taking part in the conversation already in progress.

With plenty of social plans and digital offerings, Discovery is able to anticipate what fans will be excited about and respond accordingly, allowing the diehard Shark Week followers to dictate some of the social activity throughout the week.

One of its tools to promote that content on social platforms is the mascot Chompie, Jr., who has made surprise visits around the D.C. area as well as Shark Week social handles.

“Fans have been so vocal on what they’re seeking and what they’re liking, so for us it’s a really valuable opportunity to be able to keep up with them online, said Kovolenko. “Approaching our 28th year, we have to keep this week fresh and the best way to do that is to listen to your consumers.”

And those consumers are begging for all things sharks everywhere they can get them, so Shark Week has expanded on ways to bring viewers sharks online, on the air and through mobile platforms as well.

This year’s Shark Week will also feature a special follow-up weekend event in August, as well as programming on VOD, advanced screenings, events in 15 cities and its successful late-night option, Shark After Dark, this time around hosted by filmmaker/actor Eli Roth.

“We continue to try to push ourselves to spaces we know are within our brand,” he said. “It’s a really unique opportunity to work on a brand that has the strength that it does but also the philanthropic and educational nature that it does.”

To enhance its educational offerings for Shark Week, Discovery also now has a “Sharkopedia,” an online digest of all things shark compiled with help from scientists, filmmakers, environmental advocates and artists.

With programming planned from July 5-12, online offerings for the month and a Fourth of July weekend to kick it all off, this year Discovery is taking more than its usual bite out of summer.

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