Nice Positioning, Thirteen.org
Even with the fall of our local New York Jets, most New Yorkers will be tuned in to watch the Steelers take on the Packers. (Though the Madison Avenue types will probably only watch for the commercials.)
But with nine million people in the New York City area, our local PBS station, Thirteen, sees an opportunity. What about all those people who just don’t care about football? What about those who might actually go out of their way to do an anti-Super Bowl celebration?
I recently received my weekly newsletter for what to watch on Thirteen, and I noticed a cute little sidebar promo, right there in the email:
Masterpiece Marathon on Super Bowl Sunday
Nothing says football like Jane Austen. Ok, that might be a stretch, but whether you’re looking for some pre-game drama or a sports alternative — look no further than the world of Jane Austen. Beginning at 1:30pm on Sun., 2/6, Masterpiece Classic provides almost 10 hours of your favorites, including Emma and Sense and Sensibility.
That there is some good positioning, nonprofiteers. Leave it to Thirteen.org to position themselves as the alternative to the Super Bowl.
Even if others make this claim in the run up to the Biggest Sports Event of the Year, I doubt any of the other anti-Super Bowl alternatives will have the content to back it up. Let’s face facts here. The stories of Jane Austen–especially nearly ten freakin’ hours of Jane Austen–are the Bizarro Super Bowl.
(Although I hear that the young Margaret Dashwood was known for her shockingly spirited blitz from blindside.)
Well played, Thirteen. As far as I’m concerned, you own the anti-Super Bowl space. Well played indeed.
