Toronto-based VisionTV group has taken on a new identity as a result of its growth over the last five years. The net’s group of brands — which include digi-channel One: the Body, Mind & Spirit, the two-month-young The Christian Channel, plus new venture VisionTV International (a global sales distribution arm) in addition to VisionTV — will now operate under S-VOX. Suzanna Mandryk, VP, communications and marketing says the new name means ‘spiritual voice of the people,’ conveying the brand’s commitment to spirituality. To further drive growth and to tap into other demo groups, the net is also scheduled to launch a podcast (name to be disclosed) in mid-April.
‘This is a very unique product and I think it will be a very interesting audience, possibly 18-35, with a male skew,’ she says. This is a departure from the net’s typical target. The net’s brands largely skew females 35+ (for One) and 50+ (for VisionTV).
She adds: ‘The launch of the podcast will be very grassroots, with more ‘underground’, guerrilla marketing. There will be lots of word-of-mouth and viral components, very community-oriented. [And] there are lots of opportunities for brands to sponsor the podcasts.’
And brands should be paying attention. One, which launched September 2001, ‘has always ranked in the middle of the pack among the digitals, averaging 500-600 AMA per month. The channel is targeted to the LOHAS (Lifestyle of health and sustainability) market, and it’s a huge market, ‘ says Mandryk. According to Nielsen, One has had a 50% increase year-over-year increase in the last two broadcast years. Further research by the S-VOX sees this group as home renovators, active outdoors people who love country music, golf and reading sports in the newspaper. Mandryk lists vitamin manufacturers, home renovation companies, health-related products as brands that would benefit from sponsorship.
The also established VisionTV channel has seen a 22% increase in AMA in the 2004-2005 broadcast year over the previous one. Weekly reach in that same time period was up 15%. (Source: Nielsen) An email newsletter has an opt-in membership count of 10,000, and Web stats that boast nearly 45,000 uniques and more than 400,000 page views in January 2006, up 27% over January 2005. The channel attracts primarily females 50+, who are avid newspaper readers and the primary purchaser within the household.
For VisionTV, Mandryk says though current numbers are promising, ‘we’re not resting on our laurels. There are planned changes for this brand and its programming.’ She wouldn’t share details but promises that they are ‘gearing up to a substantial re-launch’ just in time for the next broadcast season.
