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    Mid January is a special time of year.

    Yes, there’s Blue Monday but this month is all about high expectations and new starts. And importantly, it’s a time when plans, ambitions and aspirations dreamed up in the days before Christmas are turned into realities.

     

    Like this, our second Gluesletter.

     

    Our long read, this time by founder Simon Orpin, takes a look at the festive TV schedules and asks what they tell us about the aspirations of broadcasters for the year ahead. Does event TV, beloved of audiences and advertisers, have a future? Do we need to find another Simon Cowell?

     

    And if that doesn’t entice you to read on, maybe Simon’s ability to curiously link his subject matter with the fate of the church during the Black Death will. At Electric Glue, we always like to take a long term view of things.

     

    2020 was particularly challenging for us all. 2021 was better. We have an inkling that 2022 will be something special.

     

    We hope you agree.

     

    It's probably TV's most challenging "balancing act" – making the most of an unscripted future

     

    Each Christmas, TV’s ability to weave itself into the cultural life of the nation comes under intense scrutiny. So what lessons can we learn from this year’s efforts? Or indeed the signals emerging from commercial broadcasters in recent months? One way or another, says Electric Glue founder Simon Orpin, they shouldn’t lose sight of what keeps their customers – viewers and advertisers alike – satisfied

     

     

     

    HOW WAS YOUR TV Christmas? Was it haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past (aka Morecambe and Wise)? Did it revive your faith in the industry’s ability to rise to unprecedented challenges? Or did it arrive accompanied by a chilling spectre of Christmases-Yet-To-Come – a sobering vision of the future for all of our established broadcasters?

    Seems a long time ago now (and may be best forgotten). Well, perhaps you’re right. But the fascinating thing about 2021’s festive programming performance is that it could (and arguably should) have a disproportionate influence on shaping the programming strategy of broadcasters as we enter an unpredictable new normal.

    The Christmas schedules, last year as never before, were seen by many as a proving ground for the notion that our mainstream broadcasters – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and, to a certain extent, Channel 5 – are continuing to lose their ability, culturally, emotionally, to provide a focus for the collective life of the nation.

    Are they becoming increasingly irrelevant? And if so, might it be possible for Netflix (other streaming brands are available), maybe not this year, but soon, to “steal” Christmas?

    When the festive schedules were unveiled in November, the critics pronounced this the most uninspired festive line-up since… well, since 2020. But then 2020 didn’t really count. Everyone was handed a free pass thanks to Covid.

    The Covid excuse was still in play this time around (though it already looks shop-worn and by next Christmas it will be well past its sell-by). As December rolled on it was interesting to see the critics, infused perhaps with generous quantities of Christmas spirit, begin to cut the broadcasters some slack.

    Maybe, they seemed to be saying, things weren’t quite so shoddy after all. This despite the fact that BBC 2 had decided to show two Morecambe and Wise shows from the 1970s on Christmas Evening. There’s a catchphrase that might be appropriate here. I wish I could remember it.

     

    THERE WERE, after all, lots of other reasons to be cheerful. TV ad revenues, for instance, were looking good. The commercial broadcast establishment seemed supremely assured as it stepped up to swat away awkward questions.

    Take Lindsey Clay, chief executive of Thinkbox, who was on hand to remind readers of the Telegraph’s business section that Event TV remains the most important game in town – especially at Yuletide. The festive schedule is still “stitched into the cultural fabric of the nation,” she stated.

    And she added: “Part of the joy of watching things live is the knowledge that you’re watching it at the same time as everybody else. It’s the knowledge that you are participating in a national moment – a cultural moment.”

     

    IT’S A BIT OF A STRETCH, but I think of this inecclesiastical terms. Don’t worry. I’m not about to suggest that senior figuresat ITV or Channel 4 have roles in any way analogous to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Or that their organisations exist to channel higher truths. Or that they will be remembered in times to come for their good works. 

    Merely to note that, in an earlier stage of the evolution of human society, the Church helped meet a basic human need. It was where (among other things) people got together to share news and experiences – and, when no-one in authority was watching, share a joke or two. 

    Linear broadcasters have also won a cherished place in the hearts of the nation, by congregating an audience. Streamers, in contrast, enshrine our isolation as viewers.

     

    LIVE TV, EVENT TV, CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL, comes in many shapes and sizes. There are once-in-a-blue moon epic sporting showdowns, for instance. And drama can be event TV too, obviously; but nation-gripping hits like Broadchurch come along rarely and they’re almost impossible to plan for.

    The most common manifestation of must-watch (and chat about afterwards) broadcasting comes under the heading (at ITV at least) of “unscripted” TV. There’s a spectrum of formats in play here, from the panel or sofa shows that are the mainstay of the daytime schedule, through to the reality and talent franchises with big audiences and an unerring capacity for generating headlines.

    These are the shows that, to borrow Lindsey Clay’s memorable phrase, have become woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. Shows like Britain’s Got Talent, I’m A Celebrity, Love Island.

    In the UK, we’re very good at must-watch TV. For over 30 years Sky Sports has brought viewers together around football, cricket, boxing and more. And ITV doesn’t always get the credit it deserves for emerging over the last decade as a world leader in developing unscripted formats. ITV America is a major player in the US market. Not a lot of people know that.

    THIS IS A SUBJECT close to our hearts at Electric Glue. One of our areas of expertise is in helping clients derive value from unscripted commercial TV formats.

    We launched the agency following the huge success of its prototype campaign, Yeo Valley’s landmark takeover of the X Factor. It’s a thread that runs through our history. One of our most recent initiatives saw us secure a multi-faceted partnership deal for New England Seafood International and its Fish Said Fred brand with Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4. On air sponsorship, licensing, product placement and content generation brought consumers closer to the brand.

    We’re not talking pollocks here – we know the value of a highly engaged audience.

    WHICH PUTS US IN MIND, once more, of churches. Churches, congregations, and… er… Covid. Ever been on a country walk and come across a church in the middle of nowhere, half a mile from the nearest settlement? This spookiness came about thanks to an early version of the pandemic called, with a hardly a hint of hyperbole, The Black Death. The SAGE committee of its day developed a radical approach where the worst of the country’s plague-ridden villages were concerned. They’d raze them to the ground, leaving the parish church in isolation while they built a new village a little way off.

    And you thought Hands Face Space was tiresome. They didn’t mess about in the 14th Century.

    Is there an analogy here about the perils of distancing yourself from your audience? I warned you that these church metaphors might be a stretch.

    BUT THE FACT REMAINS that the strategic vision of our mainstream ad-supported broadcasters is important to agencies, advertisers and ultimately the economic well-being of all.

    ITV will publish the latest iteration of its programme planning philosophy in early Spring. It will make for fascinating reading, especially where ITV’s new “balancing act” is concerned.

    Will it be sure-footed? Let’s hope, for all our sakes, it bears no resemblance to Bez’s Bambi-like pre-show rehearsals for Dancing On Ice.

    One way or another, it’s going to be a compelling spectacle. Stay tuned.

     

     

     

    Our latest news

     

     

    We're delighted to be working with one of the fastest-growing (and tastiest) businesses 

    in the fmcg category, Charlie Bigham's.

     

    Read more >>>

     

     

    Views worth gluing into

     

     

     

     

    “Embracing the slow build of real brand power against the crack cocaine of performance marketing…”

     

    Who doesn’t love an article on “horse poop and data poo”? 

    (© Nick Kendall, 2022)

     

    Are “people too stupefied by consumerism, short-termism and social media, too hypnotised by the interests of big tech corporations, to worry about the future of humankind”?

    Thank you for your support and we hope that Gluesletter 02 was worthy of your time. Do please let us know your feedback here.

     

    Gluesletter 03 will be out this Spring. 

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Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 08, 2020

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy has been created with the help of the Privacy Policy Generator.

Interpretation and Definitions
Interpretation
The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Company (referred to as either "the Company", "We", "Us" or "Our" in this Agreement) refers to Electric Glue Limited, 62 Dean St, Soho, London, W1D 4QF.

Affiliate means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a party, where "control" means ownership of 50% or more of the shares, equity interest or other securities entitled to vote for election of directors or other managing authority.

Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.

Website refers to Electric Glue, accessible from https://www.electricglue.com/

Service refers to the Website.

Country refers to: United Kingdom

Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.

Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.

Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.

Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.

Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.

Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data
Types of Data Collected
Personal Data
While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

Email address

Usage Data

Usage Data
Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device's Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies
We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service.

You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service.

Cookies can be "Persistent" or "Session" Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close your web browser. Learn more about cookies: All About Cookies.

We use both session and persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

Necessary / Essential Cookies

Type: Session Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

Functionality Cookies

Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data
The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.
To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application's push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.
We may share your personal information in the following situations:

With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
For Business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.
With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
With Business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside. If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures and description of Your activity. Similarly, other users will be able to view descriptions of Your activity, communicate with You and view Your profile.
Retention of Your Personal Data
The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data
Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company's operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data
Business Transactions
If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement
Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements
The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

Comply with a legal obligation
Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
Protect against legal liability
Security of Your Personal Data
The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Links to Other Websites
Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

By mail: 62 Dean St, Soho, London, W1D 4QF

You can email hello@electricglue.com if you would like to receive information on the personal data we hold on you.
You can email hello@electricglue.com if you would like the personal data we hold on you to be deleted.