by Meilani Weiss, EVP Brand Integration

The 2020 Emmy Awards broadcast live—not pre-recorded—on Sunday, September 20, from the Staples Center in Los Angeles and nominees’ homes around the world.

The energy will certainly be different, with host Jimmy Kimmel at the Staples Center with the crew and very few special guests at the venue, and about 140 camera feeds going into the production.

This year’s ceremony will be the first where award attendees and home viewers will have essentially the same experience (give or take a ring lighting rig to make the nominees’ watch parties more broadcast-ready). In recent talk show appearances, nominees have discussed what they’ll wear to the ceremonies from their living rooms, and viewers who love television can make a night of it as well—whether in their own living rooms or in socially-distanced outdoor viewing parties.

Viewers may also have extra curiosity in the awards show this year, simply from not seeing their favorite actors, writers, directors, and other creative talent in so long. With filming on scripted series halted for months and 2020/2021 premiere dates delayed and in flux, this Emmys ceremony provides an opportunity to see our favorite talent let their more authentic selves shine through, without the long schedule that attending an awards show traditionally entails. And, perhaps, we’ll also see a nominee’s family, pets, or interior decorating decisions steal the spotlight.

For his part, Kimmel is used to improvising hosting duties by now, and has proven adept at producing compelling content during quarantine. While the quality of remotely-produced projects this year has drastically varied in quality, the experience can also lend an intimacy to a broadcast which otherwise may not draw much enthusiasm this year. And as the ceremonies themselves are reimagined by necessity, the Outstanding Series nominees serve as a bellwether of longer-term industry trends.

The Outstanding Comedy Series category includes a range of tone and distributors, from “Dead to Me” (Netflix) to “The Good Place” (NBC), “Insecure” (HBO) to “Schitt’s Creek” (CBC/Pop TV) to “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX, a major partner with fellow Disney-controlled service Hulu). As streaming series tend to have fewer seasons overall, HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is by far the longest-running series nominated, though on its own anomalous schedule.

For Outstanding Drama Series, the nominees represent the most critically-celebrated with dedicated fans: “Better Call Saul,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Killing Eve,” “Ozark,” “Stranger Things,” “Succession”—and Star Wars series “The Mandalorian.” Notably, none of the series are from the major broadcast networks, and Disney+ being represented—with a Star Wars spinoff series no less—is perhaps as good a sign as any of the paradigm shift of the last few years, and how difficult it is for broadcast series to break through in awards season beyond individual contributions.

As we look to Sunday, September 20, not knowing exactly what to expect, I’m more intrigued in the Emmy Awards than in previous years—from how Kimmel and his production team invigorate the show, to what the list of eventual award-winners says about the industry’s priorities.

‘TIS THE SEASON

This year’s holiday season will look like any other.  Not long after coronavirus shutdowns began, consumers began searching for holiday gifts.  Brands that have shown a fluid and compassionate response to the current climate are already seeing sentiment scores shoot up. It is imperative for brands to have the right tools in their marketing mix to be able to step into this new era with CREDIBILITY, AUTHENTICITY, and PURPOSE.

Consumers have shifted the types of products that they want, how they get those products, and the experiences and entertainment that people are seeking.  Brands have a genuine opportunity to build loyalty with new and existing audiences, building upon the desire for authentic connection and social responsibility marketing.

CONTACT US  to schedule a full presentation of our 2020 HOLIDAY GUIDE by members of our team.

COREY SILVERMAN EVP, Marketing & Business Development
Corey.Silverman@rogersandcowanpmk.com

MICHAEL FEIN SVP, STRATEGY & TRANSFORMATION
Michael.Fein@rogersandcowanpmk.com

Article by Craig Greiwe, CTSO, R&CPMK

Craig Greiwe, Chief Strategy Officer, Rogers & Cowan PMK, shares his insight on how understanding historical societal change surrounding global crisis will help the country and the world navigate through the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Understanding “The Six Stages Of Societal Change” Surrounding Global Crisis Will Help The Country Navigate Its Way Through The COVID-19 Pandemic

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The impact of COVID-19 is clearly deep and substantial, but our policymakers in the United States seem content to argue only over immediate decisions, without agreeing to one fundamental and important fact: this crisis is more than just a temporary or multi-year journey. Much like it’s rare predecessors of World War II, the Global War on Terror, or the regional crises of SARS and Ebola, the coronavirus epidemic is poised to change the way we as a society move forward. There are few times in humanity when mass-impact events change the way consumers behave and society operates permanently. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of those moments.

 We need not be passive bystanders though, simply reacting and adapting to what permanent changes lie ahead. We can be more than just the haphazard sum of private enterprise innovators and state-by-state policymakers responding in real time. Simply put, acknowledging the scale of what’s happening allows us to put a framework behind it – a system to understand how the public will behave, what they need, and how they will respond. That framework then gives us a useful, practical tool to move beyond the justifiably tragic headlines and reaction-oriented decision-making, to avoid an even more tragic future. It gives us the power to lead, not follow.

 By distilling the globe-changing crises of the past, a framework emerges that is deceptively simple but critically important: the “Six Stages of Societal Change.” When used to map against the current COVID-19 crisis, these Six Stages allow us not just to see the smartest response to the problems we face now, but to look down the road and chart a path towards a future we can control.

 Stage 1 the start of any game-changing event, begins with “Initiation.”  People react slowly and in disbelief. They need accurate information and informed perspective through clear, concise, and direct communication from trusted sources, to help them understand and process what’s happening. 

 Stage 2 “Reaction” is the start of change. In this stage, people have realized the severity of events, and commence their reactions, often illogical (panic and grocery store runs) or rash (immediate strikes in the Global War on Terror).  In the case of COVID-19, this period included the first steps of social distancing and self-quarantine, matched by mass hysteria.

 In this stage, people tend to experience a forcible shift in their behavior that can be quite disturbing and stark. They need reassurance above all else. They need support and confidence in their authorities, who should provide them information and empathy. The more people’s needs are fulfilled, the sooner they can move into a stable Stage 3. 

 Stage 3 brings “The Temporary Normal,” a stasis of revised lifestyle and behavior. In this period, we’ve realized what’s happening to us, and we’ve made significant but temporary changes to the way the world operates. Most people have come to accept those changes, but only because they believe they are temporary and necessary for the resolution of the crisis at hand and restoration of a better future. There is an underlying uncertainty about what lies ahead, which causes friction, and so people need support and understanding. More than that, as things stabilize, people also want diversion, entertainment, and escape to cope. 

 Stage 4 is when all crises must come to an end in “The Fade.”  The Fade is the period from when we see the light at the end of the tunnel to the time of true conclusion. More than a positive sign, it is a tricky space to navigate, as anticipation of an end to the crisis increases pressure to accelerate it, often in unwise ways. The longer this stage lasts, the more challenging it becomes to balance this pressure and the needs of the crisis. The best thing we can do is provide clarity as to what’s happening, and reasonable timelines for exit, while continuing to use diversion and entertainment to release anxiety and alleviate malaise.

 Stage 5 brings “Memorial & Celebration,” the marked end of a crisis. In this stage, people need acknowledgement both of the losses incurred and the collective emotional journey everyone has gone through. However, a celebration is also important to focus them on the positive of the future. A delicate and careful mix must be achieved to help people move on. 

 We will eventually reach Stage 6, “The Altered Future,” where the world as we know it goes forward permanently changed. The Civil War brought about the end of slavery and the permanent demarcation of “the South” in society and culture. Ebola had smaller but important changes to societal behavior in West Africa. While World War II ultimately brought about the permanence of women in the workplace, and eventually, integration and technological innovation that paved the way for the modern age. 

 There are millions of people, including many elected leaders, who want nothing more than to go back to the way things were. However, accepting that our future is forever altered, and that we will go through these Six Stages to get there, is a critical and transformational shift in both our policymaking and in our public’s perception of the crisis at hand. 

 We must stop simply focusing on the headlines, and “getting back to the way things were,” no matter how critical policy decisions like Safer At Home orders are, and how tragic the loss of life. Instead, we must concurrently deal with the crisis at hand and accept that the future is different. We must use these stages of societal change to take an active role in shaping what lies in front of us. Until we accept that conclusion and path, we will forever be battling over immediate decisions without regard for their long-term impact, let alone their short- and intermediate-term effectiveness.

 COVID-19 is a globe-changing event, and it is much more than a passing phase. Only when we accept that fact, and develop a common framework for our choices and the public’s needs, can we talk about meeting those needs in the smartest ways and preparing for the best future. The old adage remains true, “Planning today makes a smarter, better future.” The Six Stages of Societal Change are designed to be the framework that allows us to process that information, and make informed decisions for the betterment of all. With COVID-19, the permanent altered future is still unclear, but knowing what could lie ahead, gives us the opportunity to shape it. It’s essential, in order not just to embrace that understanding, but to use it to sculpt the tomorrow we’d like to see.