Branson bombs

[Buster Hyman]

November 25, 2004 - 12:48PM

Reality TV show The Rebel Billionaire, starring daredevil British tycoon Sir Richard Branson is going down with US viewers like a lead balloon.

The show, subtitled Branson's Quest for the Best, debuted to dismal ratings three weeks ago and has declined nearly 20 per cent in average audience through its latest episode on Tuesday night, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Promoted as Fox's answer to NBC's hit series The Apprentice, Starring real estate mogul Donald Trump, Branson's show has averaged fewer than five million US viewers a week.

It ranks No.5 for its hour and a lowly 91 among all prime-time shows in household ratings. Nevertheless, a Fox spokesman said the News Corp-owned network plans to stick with the show through the planned 12 episode run.

"It's going to remain on the air," Fox spokesman Scott Grogin told Reuters.

"Creatively, we're extremely pleased with the show. And we hope the audience will find it."

The Rebel Billionaire centres on a group of young entrepreneurs competing to be named president of Branson's business empire, which includes Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Records and Virgin Megastores.

In addition to engaging in common business tasks demanded by Trump, like creating marketing campaigns and designing new products, the contestants on Branson's show also perform stunts like walking a plank suspended in mid-air between hot-air balloons.

Branson's own headline-grabbing exploits have included failed attempts to circle the world in a hot-air balloon and a record-breaking dash across the Atlantic in a powerboat.

Rebel Billionaire casts itself as an antidote to the material excess celebrated on Apprentice and even has a scene showing a Trump look-alike emerging from a limousine as Branson steps out of a taxi.

Though it has slipped in the US ratings from last season, Apprentice still averages nearly 16 million viewers and ranks No.4 among all US prime-time shows in ratings for viewers aged 18-49, the group most prized by advertisers.

- Reuters

A spin off to the show will be CSI: Brisbane where BG stars as an intrepid aviation employee searching for someone to blame. A bit like X-Files only louder & repetitive! http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/schlafen/sleeping-smiley-004.gif

[Mr.Buzzy]

And the relevance to an aviation forum is?.......... Hmmmm where is my sickle.... So many tall poppies!

[Buster Hyman]

I think he might have a stake in Virgin Blue...:rolleyes:

[Animalclub]

I understand the Branson has nothing to do with Virgin Records any more... is this true?

[Buster Hyman]

Yes it is. Apparently. the Professional Record Companies Rumour Network have banned anybody from mentioning him because of it!

[Buster Hyman]

Ah yes, I'd forgotten this one. Wirraways post reminded me.

Got to admit, I don't mind having a crack at the Knighted Dick, but I thought it would be prudent to watch the show after putting this report up.

I actually thought it wasn't bad. Goes to show you shouldn't rely on a media report from the US. I'll watch it again.:ok:

[ur2]

Tell me what this all has to do with aviation in Australia. And why would it be anything but of passing interest to Joe Average in the street.

Is this realy the forum for TV show chat.

Come on Wirraway your realy showing your VB bent now.

[Jerricho]

passing interest to Joe Average in the street

Hasn't that show been done already? :E

[Buster Hyman]

I thought it was Average Joe.:confused:

[Kaptin M]

Rimaway ;) has posted another topic on the same subject, which seems to differ from the interpretation your's has received.....
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Thurs "Sydney Morning Herald"

Sir Richard's victory, Trump or no Trump
By Paul McIntyre
December 2, 2004

The verbal punch-up last week between billionaires Donald Trump and Sir Richard Branson over their reality TV shows was a ripper.

Trump is the big lion in The Apprentice, a show where he gets to use lots of hairspray and sack people trying to become legends in business with poxy strategies for Procter & Gamble's Crest toothpaste - essentially a product placement deal.

Here lies a lesson for just about every multinational and large local firm now contemplating the coming boom in "branded content", funded by marketers. If you're going to do it, do it Branson's way.

Trump was crowing last week about Branson's show tanking on debut on the Fox network in the US. Trump was right in that The Apprentice is pulling upwards of 15 million viewers while Branson "bombed" with an opening line-up of 5 million.

But think about this: Rebel Billionaire, as Branson's show is called, had 5 million viewers on its opening night and that's a big whack of potential airline passengers and mobile phone customers which Branson gets for nothing in a market he's trying to crack - the US.

Yes, there's plenty of disdain for Branson as a publicity tart. But his show is engaging.

Rebel Billionaire is a very smart branding tactic. Virgin is everywhere in the show: Virgin Atlantic planes, Virgin Atlantic routes, Virgin hot air balloons and so-on but it's not tacky. In fact, the show basically creams Trump's The Apprentice, particularly when Trump sits in his boardroom looking like some actor out of Days of Our Lives.

Australian viewers agree. Seven launched Rebel Billionaire here late on Monday night and although hardly a mega hit with 748,000 viewers, the first showing topped both The Apprentice's debut in Australia on Nine (701,000) and the current number of 670,000.

Rebel Billionaire won its time slot for 16-24 year-olds, 25-39 year-olds and all those aged between 18 and 49. That's a good result, particularly so given the Brit is out here next week to launch his Virgin Atlantic Australian service.

Rebel Billionaire was not a branded content initiative funded by Virgin - Fox ended up underwriting the costs. But how the show works is exactly how companies should be thinking if they want to deal themselves into funding content beyond traditional advertising.

Interestingly, Virgin Group's Australian headquarters is rather predisposed to developing a new series in Australia, with Australians, for Australians ... and the rest of the world.

"I think we'll do an Australian one," says Virgin Group's marketing and PR director Danielle Keighery.

"Australians are well up for it."
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Tell me what this all has to do with aviation in Australia.I had an idea that Donald Trump owned an Australian airline, doesn't he.......Hooker Blue or some such name.
C'mon guys, if it's okay to talk about Magda Whatsername and QF, then surely we can tolerate hearing about more of the Dickie's ventures.

[TIMMEEEE]

Good points Kap M but just because I see a Virgin logo doesnt mean I am more or less inclined to purchase or use their products, even I know they exist.

But then again I have watched the shopping channel in the USA........now there's an incentive not to shop !