Introduction Lifetime Television, most commonly known as Lifetime, is an American cable television channel that specializes in programming for women. Lifetime Television launched in February of 1984. The network originally only aired women’s daytime programming Monday through Saturday, but as time grew on; they began to establish itself among its peers in the cable universe. The network was a pioneer that quickly became a paramount favorite that offered sitcoms and movies that catered to women and their everyday lives. For a while, Lifetime Television was alone in their market and they soared with 98 million households subscribing to their network. They even branched off to make Lifetime Movie Network and Lifetime Digital, which includes myLifetime.com. There lone existence in the market wouldn’t last forever. With growing competition, such as WE TV and the Oxygen channel, Lifetime is remaining on top of its particular market, but they strive to overcome all cable networks.
Lifetime Television has a market of women from age 18 and to about 50. Everyone remembers the famous slogan, Television for Women, which Lifetime Television used from 1995 until 2005. This tagline was a great communicator to their audience because it explained what the network was all about. In 2006, the network tried to take a more personal route and used the slogan, "My story is on Lifetime”. This was a great tactic because it made the viewers feel as though they could relate to the programming, and even the characters that were crocheted into the network. In 2008, they began to use a new slogan: Connect. Play. Share. This slogan was created to draw viewers into the Lifetime Digital world. This remains to be the slogan used by the network. Most of the network’s marketing has recently dwindled away. Lifetime markets a lot for their individual programming, but I no longer see a lot of marketing for the network itself. The marketing that does exist typically leaves out the younger and elder viewers, which in turn looses their interest. Lifetime normally develops and implements their own successful promotional programs, but it is time for a change.

IMC Objectives
Lifetime Television’s programming reaches their current target market in a great way, but recently, there has been a calling for help. President of the Lifetime network, along with the History network, Nancy Dubuc, spoke at Drexel University In November of 2010. She spoke on topics of television marketing strategy, future outlook for History and Lifetime Networks, and spilled some exclusive information to lucky attendees. Dubac also stated that her next challenge was raising the Lifetime network to be the #1 cable network from its current position at 19. The way to become the most watched network is simple. . .grasp more viewers and maintain higher ratings. Seeing as though this network has a target market of women from ages 18 to 50, expanding to younger viewers may be the key. As young women, ages 14 to 18 year olds need television programming that will grasp their attention while assisting them with maturing to be intelligent and productive women. There may be various programming out there for this particular age group, but none of these soon to be competitors possess the Lifetime touch. This network has a distinguished way of reaching women and communicating with them, and if the target market incorporates the younger generations, it would not only be a network, it would be a way of life for all women. This would increase viewer ratings from 1.0 with 1,161,000 viewers a day to 1.6 with at least 2,000,000 viewers tuning in. This would mean that Lifetime Television would have to display more programming that would grab the attention of the younger and the elder target market. Our agency would create a promotional campaign that would boost awareness from 25% to 95%, making it impossible not to know that there is a new and improved Lifetime Television.
Copy Platform

Ad Subject: Lifetime Television
Ad Problem: This network needs to expand its target market in order to try and become the #1 network on cable television.
Target Market: Women from ages 14 to 80. Expanding the target market to incorporate young women ages 14-17 may be only including 3 more years to the current target age group, but that will open our network up to the generation that watches the most television. We will also expand the age group to 80, which will provide those that are retiring and home during the day with quality television.
Major Selling Idea: QUALITY TELEVISION FOR WOMEN! Lifetime Television will provide all women with quality television. The definition of quality television is programming with the ability to entertain, teach, and reach viewers without exploitation or features that will negatively affect them. Lifetime will provide programming that our viewers can relate to, whether they are 15 or 75. This will allow all age groups of women to be more relatable and have an unspoken bond that will uplift our younger generations.
Creative Strategy Statement:
a. Campaign Theme- Connecting Women. Connecting Generations. Connecting Life.
b. Appeal- Our appeal will be a mixture of rational and emotional. Women watch Lifetime because there are only a few networks that cater to women and Lifetime seems to be more relatable. Our advertising will market that we are the best network for women because we actual y understand women best. The emotional appeal because we know that women, especially young women, have a need to be accepted and understood. There is a separation in the generations of women, and hopefully, our campaign will show viewers that Lifetime may be a solution. I also would like to utilize teaser advertising since Lifetime is a known brand with something new to offer. I want viewers to be curious and interested in seeing what is different than what the network offered before.

Execution Technique: This campaign will consist of a mixture of execution techniques in order to communicate with existing viewers and to grab the attention of prospective viewers. There will be some straight selling because some of the advertising will be a collage of some of the existing programming (that will remain on the network) and some of the new programming with the new slogan on the side. These messages will introduce the new Lifetime but peak curiosity as well because the snap shots of the new programming will make them feel as though they would not want to miss it. There will also be mix of comparison and humor techniques used to peak interest. Due to the campaign being at least a year long, there will probably be more techniques used, but the 3 mentioned above will be our main courses of action.

Media Plan

Media Objectives: There is a need for a new and interesting face for Lifetime Television. The 1 year campaign (January 1, 2012-December 31, 2012) will utilize the different media outlets to communicate with viewers that the new and improved Lifetime is a network that had quality programming for women of all ages. The media will inform our loyal and existing viewers that what they like about the network will remain, while grabbing the attention of prospective viewers and communicating that there is something that they should watch. I believe the campaign would increase target market exposure about 70%.
Broad Media Classes: Using magazines, television and internet would be the better way of reaching the target market.
Media within Classes: The magazines that the print ad should run in is Seventeen and Teen Vogue. The main internet site that would market the most is the Lifetime website, but I suggest the web address be changed from www.mylifetime.com to www.ourlifetime.com. The change would help push our idea of connecting women through television. Placing banners on websites like Facebook and the generations’ section of the online edition of Time magazine. Of course some television marketing will be done on the Lifetime network channels, but majority of the commercials need to be shown during prime time on local channels that allow promotion of other networks.
Media Schedule: Utilizing a pulsing method would help meet the goals. In the beginning of the campaign, the flighting method will suffice because it would grab the attention of viewers and help peak their interest. Around the 9th month of the campaign, increasing the communication and using a continuity method will keep viewers reminded and anxious to see the new Lifetime.