What happens when a cable channel’s programming no longer adequately reflects its name? Usually, the channel just holds onto its initials and pretends they don’t stand for anything, like MTV, which hasn’t featured music videos in many years, or AMC, which abandoned its claim to American movie classics the moment it started airing Missing In Action sequels. It would seem virtually impossible to finesse a name like SCI FI, but the current home of Battlestar Galactica, Ghost Hunters, and Scare Tactics with Tracy Morgan has done it. Awkwardly.
Beginning on July 7th, the SCI FI Channel will be changed to the phonetically identical but grammatically dubious Syfy Channel as part of a bid to give the 16-year-old operation a distinct brand identity and the flexibility to wriggle outside its tight science fiction parameters. In that spirit, it’s also changed its tagline to “Imagine Greater,” all part of a strategy that “invites both consumers and advertisers into a new era of unlimited imagination, exceptional experiences, and greater entertainment.” Taste the excitement:
The new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider and more diverse range of imagination-based entertainment including fantasy, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure, as well as science fiction. It also positions the brand for future growth by creating an ownable trademark that can travel easily with consumers across new media and non-linear digital platforms, new international channels and extend into new business ventures.
Why must we wait another five months? We want our imagination-based entertainment now!!!