How NBCU Could Use Vanderpump Rules To Boost Peacock
Yes, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments have been going for weeks now. But there’s also another “March Madness” gripping TV viewers this year:
The drama around Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules.
A TL;DR version of what fans have dubbed “Scandoval” for the uninitiated:
Season 10 of the show has revolved around various breakups (especially the divorce of Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney) and how everyone involved rebounds. But a point of conflict has been cast member Racquel Leviss – fresh off her own breakup from James Kennedy – expressing interest in hooking up with Schwartz
If that wasn’t causing enough strife in the main cast, TMZ reported on Mar. 3 that Ariana Madix learned long-time boyfriend (and also cast member) Tom Sandoval had been secretly having his own affair with Leviss. This, despite actively trying to get involved with Schwartz on-camera at what might have been the same time.
Though the discovery of the affair didn’t occur until after season 10’s filming, it has spurred increased interest in the show, which has picked up more steam as new details come out and parties involved make public statements about what’s occurred and how sorry they may (or may not) be in the aftermath.
For reference, Inscape data shows Vanderpump Rules has been one of the top 20 programs on TV during Wednesday primetime since the news broke. And it accounted for over 37% of Bravo’s primetime minutes watched from Mar. 8-22. Further, iSpot data reveals that the three latest episodes of Vanderpump Rules have delivered 68% more household TV ad impressions on average vs. the four episodes of this season that aired before the disclosure.
Not only is there more season to go, but there’s also a two-part reunion that recently wrapped filming and will have the entire cast responding to the cheating news in light of what occurred during the episodes. Producer Andy Cohen has already stated the event is “emotional” and “confrontational.” And while there’s usually some drama promised for all of these Bravo reality show reunions, this is the one with the best chance to actually deliver (and then some) on what’s promised.
So the question for NBCU is, how to make as much money as possible on this?
Obviously, Bravo will enjoy higher ad rates over the second half of this season and the reunion. But there’s also an opportunity to cash in using its streaming service, Peacock.
And moments like this are why these network-affiliated streaming services should really exist.
Just like networks have utilized streaming services for premium and shoulder content during key TV moments like sporting events and recent election cycles, there’s an opportunity for NBCU to use Peacock to maximize what it gets out of the Vanderpump reunion.
Here are a few examples I’m giving out for free, assuming they don’t create additional contract issues:
Charge for access to the unedited cut of the reunion: There will be hours of unused footage after it’s edited down for TV, so why not cater directly to Bravo’s active fan base (BravoCon 2022 had 30,000 attendees) and treat this like a pay-per-view event windowed within the existing Peacock experience? Only those that pay an extra $10-20, get access to the entire uncut reunion.
“Premium Plus” Plan add-ons: Given the relative affordability of Peacock’s “Premium Plus” tier ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year), it’s not crazy to use exclusive shoulder content as a subscription driver, of sorts. Maybe paying for at least three months gets you an exclusive reunion episode of Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live. Ultimately, Peacock can start selling access as a perk of the service.
Full reunion as part of Premium Plus: Instead of the “unedited version,” bill the full reunion as a Peacock Premium Plus plan exclusive if you sign up for at least six months of the service. Linear and other streaming viewers will still see a two-part show on Bravo. But the “full” reunion (an extra hour or unedited version) is behind the paywall.
Could this alienate some fans? Yes, there’s a chance it could. But with Peacock always looking to keep its offering fresh and interesting for both new and existing subscribers, this is a way to do that without much additional expense. And it could set the table for a reality- and/or access-led expansion of the service that guides it forward as NBCU plots what’s next for Peacock.
The service has had some hot shows in the past, with Poker Face being the most recent. But Peacock’s big draws remain local news, The Office and other classic shows from the NBCU library. This is a way to start changing that, without the expense that goes into creating and marketing a brand new show.
It’s not as if others aren’t finding ways to successfully create content and monetize this pop culture moment, either. Tubular Labs data shows there have been over 170 million social video views about the show since Mar. 3, with less than 1% of those for videos from Bravo.
Meanwhile, Ariana has persevered admirably through her hardship here, gaining nearly 200,000 Instagram followers in March according to CreatorIQ and working with (sex toy company) Bellessa Boutique on what’s already been a successful partnership. She’s also launched two different merch shops – one for her forthcoming sandwich shop venture with Maloney and another for “Team Ariana” — and booked a role in an unrelated Lifetime movie.
Not every media company is a brand, but Bravo is and as such, has an opportunity to use Peacock to really grow the benefits of being part of its core viewership.
With streaming services all looking for new ways to differentiate themselves in a crowded environment, perks, access and shoulder content are all creative ways to do so while also maximizing subscriber revenue.
