I Want My MTV ... Back! 1986
The cable wars begin.
Over the last few years it feels like the fights between cable programmers and cable system have become an almost everyday occurrence. But by midway into the first decade of real consumer cable, a negotiation fight breaking out in public between channel owners and cable system owners was a shocker. They were almost always stoked by the "Darth Vader” of system owners, John Malone of TCI in Denver, at the time the largest cable operator in America. And, he was never shy about using that power to get the deals he wanted.
The cable wars really began around MTV. And MTV won.
The hard won fight was initially with MTV and ESPN, asking/demanding a “per subscriber” fee from cable operators to subsidize the cost of giving them quality programming so that cable could compete with the giant broadcasting networks of CBS, NBC and ABC. But, as you can imagine, the operators were never happy with the arrangement –even though with each new channel the operators would increase the home owner’s cable bill for that price and then some– and for the last 40 some odd years have often tried to reduce the freight of their wholesale costs.
In 1986 the negotiations almost came to an abrupt halt when John Malone said, in effect, “Fine, we don’t need your stinkin’ channel, we’ll shut it off.”
But Bob Pittman, fearless fighter that he is, was not going to take that lying down. Who cares if Malone controls 25% of all the cable homes in the country?! We control the most loyal viewers on television! Was Pittman right? John Malone and the rest of the media industry was about to find out.
First, pretty much overnight we made a spot and started running spots on MTV and VH1, and buying commercials. “If you flip to MTV or VH1, you might not find it.” But that was just the beginning.
MTV corralled the most powerful weapons in it’s arsenal, the rock stars. Anyone that was available in New York or Los Angeles on a moments notice was conscripted. Phil Collins, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart and Paula Abdul, giants of that moment were among those that showed up.
Alan and his team came up with an undeniable visual, all the stars filmed in stark black & white, bathed in shadow.
“Suddenly, everything changed. One minute there was music, the next minute... none. Just like that, they took off MTV. The local cable company, the guy you pay every month. Is it fair to take your MTV away? I think if we all put the pressure on they’re going to have to change their mind. If your MTV is missing, call them. I’d call. Tell them, ‘Don’t make decisions for me. Tell ‘em ‘I want what I paid for. Tell ‘em, “I Want My MTV... BACK.”’“
Wow. The spots really packed a wallop, as you can see and hear. Notice the not to subtle references to the original “I Want My MTV!” campaign that sparked the pop revolution.
“Demand!”
“Call!”
“Your MTV!”
And the capper? Bob threw a free rock concert with MTV stars in Malone’s Denver backyard. Needless to say, MTV was turned back on in a damn hurray. For the past 30 years other programmers have tried similar moves. But until the Super Bowl was threatened –and that was broadcast not cable– the operators were able to beat back most of the efforts.
MTV wins. Actually, it must be said, Pittman wins!
No one else in cable programming really understood the power of consumer loyalty. The conventional wisdom in media had always been that if you had a captive audience that delivered your channel high ratings, it must be that the audience just loves you. There was no one else on cable, until an MTV cadre of executives went to ESPN in the 90s and nurtured their fan relations, who really understood loyalty. Allegiance, faithfulness, fidelity, that’s what it’s all about.
Alan remembers: “The 'I want my MTV back' campaign is interesting because of how many other networks tried to do the same thing when THEY got kicked off during contract negotiations, and utterly failed. The fact is, “demand” was something that always worked for MTV ever since the launch because our viewers felt locked out. Do you think a lot of Lifetime viewers were motivated to grab the phone and call their cable operators when their signal went off?
“I remember Tom Godici, then one of our fantastic, but junior, art directors, with this campaign. I was slated to go direct one of the stars –can’t remember which one– and I walked into Tom’s office and told him to go instead. He was a little surprised and nervous about it, but I told him I trusted him and knew he could do a good job. I loved that about our agency, that we would give people a shot.”
Read about the original “I Want My MTV!” Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and some of its aftermath Part 4, Part 5
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“I Want My MTV...Back” 1986 Client: Bob Pittman Agency: Fred/Alan, New York Executive creative directors: Alan Goodman & Fred Seibert Film directors: Tom Godici & others
