‘Survivor’ Is Reinventing Itself After 25 Years. Smart Brands Should Pay Attention
Even iconic brands can’t coast on familiarity forever.
EXPERT OPINION BY MARC BERMAN, FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PROGRAMMING INSIDER
Few entertainment brands have demonstrated the staying power of Survivor.
More than 25 years—and 50 seasons—after the reality competition first premiered, the franchise is preparing to enter another new chapter. And its latest evolution offers a business lesson that extends well beyond television: Even the most established brands cannot afford to stand still.
CBS has revealed the 21 castaways competing on Survivor 51, which premieres Wednesday, Sept. 23, with a special two-hour episode from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The new season of Survivor will launch what CBS is calling the show’s “Open Era,” a format designed to make the competition less predictable by allowing twists, idols and advantages from throughout Survivor history to potentially return at any time and in any order. With 50 prior seasons to choose from, there is no shortage of gameplay to revisit.
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On the surface, this “Open Era” may seem like nothing more than network spin to keep the audience intact. What exactly does it mean, after all? And just how different will it look? But from a business perspective, it illustrates a fundamental challenge facing virtually every long-running brand:
How do you keep something familiar enough that loyal customers recognize it while making it fresh enough that they still have a reason to come back?
What established brands can learn from Survivor
Survivor has successfully been solving that problem for more than two decades.
Source: www.inc.com
