Shark Week and marketing

By Anna Radachy
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Being part of Gen Z, I have spent my consumer media life on demand via Netflix and Hulu, and there is only one event that I will put on my calendar to watch on cable… Shark Week! This event is the longest-running TV event ever, as this year will be its 33rd annual run. This enduring event has made itself a mainstay by giving the people what they want, showcasing the unbelievable power of sharks in their natural habitat. But what else has made this event, which is now synonymous with the Discovery channel, come back every year? Marketing! 

Shark Week marketing is everywhere, they have flooded the market for the month leading up to the event. Billboards, commercials, social media posts, among other things that are identifiable, and create the same hype everywhere. Creating an effective marketing plan is not easy, and these are some key components of creating one:

• Marketing research- Research the market you are entering and collect data. ​
• ​Marketing goals- Set goals for yourself and your brand, track your progress!
• Target market – Find a niche within the market.
• Mission statement – Write a statement that states your target market, your product, and what sets you apart. 
• ​Identify market strategy- Network, paper marketing, advertising, publicity releases, etc., whichever combination would work best for you. 

Beyond these marketing strategies, Shark Week has entered pop culture and is now being used to market other events and products beyond the media event. Museums, small businesses, even other large companies capitalize on the name to boost their products and services. 

These marketing tactics are essential to small businesses, and finding tactics like sponsorships, endorsements with influencers, events, and traditional marketing tactics like print ads and word-of-mouth are all important to effectively market your products and services. Finding your grove, as the marketing team, for Shark Week did so effectively, will be one of your main concerns as you enter the business world. Use your marketing research to determine which tactics may work for you, and then collect data to see how effective each is. 

When it comes to marketing, not everything will be a hit, not everything will enthrall people for 33 years, and almost nothing is an overnight success. That being said, hard work with the right tools can lead to wonderful outcomes!