How A+E Networks Problem Solves with Custom Content

The team resembles forensic detectives from an A&E show. As expert problem solvers, they combine their curiosity with creative strategies to develop bespoke campaigns. For clients who want to raise brand awareness and drive business outcomes, finding the right audience, content and placement to maximize those efforts is key.

"Our approach is simple. It will always be rooted in our partners' goals. It's our job to understand how to amplify those goals and drive business outcomesthrough our creative solutions," explained Niki Mandell (pictured), Vice President of Ad Sales Partnerships. "Solutions come to life through our content and audience interactions. They can be a big splash or a series of smaller experiences across our platforms. It all depends on outcomes the advertiser wants to attain."

The right creative solution from the partnerships team can range from 20 seconds to two minutes, or even a full-length, two-hour documentary special. It may be one piece of creative, an entire campaign or a co-produced digital series. Once developed, A+E can distribute the content across digital and social platforms, FAST channels, streaming services and their linear brands. No two solutions are alike, but there is a common thread: Leaning into A+E's beloved networks, popular websites, social handles, hit shows and beloved hosts to amplify the message.

"Each platform has unique format implications, as we are consistently aiming to create the most engaging formats for each while optimizing as we see behaviors shift," Mandell explained.

While A+E's linear networks are its crown jewels, the company embraces a "TV Everywhere" approach and distributes content across the entire media ecosystem. Its branded content can be TV-first, digital-first, or a combination and live cross-platform. Mandell said this approach increases exposure and adds incremental audiences.

"Our footprint is well beyond our linear audience," she noted. "There are so many paths for our fans to be able to interact with our content that it would be a disservice for us to not include a variety of platforms within our solutions."

That approach helped genealogy service Ancestry. For its latest campaign, A+E created a multiplatform program tied to The HISTORY Channel's Peyton Manning-hosted hit The Greatest of All Time. One element of custom content they developed for the advertiser featured boxing great Laila Ali hosting vignettes about famous women, or GOATS, that ran exclusively on digital.

"Laila is a GOAT in her own right," Mandell explained. "She was the perfect person to spark and empower journeys of personal discovery on behalf of Ancestry."

A digital-first solution has technical advantages, too. Mandell said her team can track and optimize the content in real-time to increase reach and measure performance.

In creating partner solutions, A+E boasts a clear advantage: It owns the rights to its library. That allows A+E flexibility to distribute on any platform and integrate brands into the content any way it likes. While other media companies have similarly followed suit, A+E has owned the playbook for years.

Having owned-and-operated assets "allows us to offer partnerships for brands within trusted environments," Mandell said. "We can build these communities around our content and create exclusive, ownable opportunities for brands."

Practically speaking, A+E can integrate a sponsor into a show or series, feature products in an episode, or deploy popular hosts to endorse products or host events. It can distribute to any third-party distributors, such as Hulu, a frequent partner.

Of course, brands need to measure the efficacy of their campaigns. A+E tracks real-time social interactions and video shares, and the research department and third-party firms measure brand lift factors, including purchase consideration, brand awareness and favorability.

A+E works with strategic partners that reflect its corporate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The Creative Partnerships Team embraces female and minority-owned partners in front of and behind the camera.

"We're committed to diverse storytelling and providing purpose-driven opportunities," Mandell noted.

That effort shined through in a recent Rocket Mortgage campaign spotlighting its Built for Zero initiative to end veteran homelessness. A+E produced four custom vignettes for The HISTORY Channel highlighting the program's local efforts and success.

The videos were hosted by Vernice Armour, the country's first Black female combat pilot, and were directed by several female veterans. The series was co-produced with The Light, a female-led organization dedicated to equity.

In a testament to A+E Creative Solutions' successes, Rocket Mortgage is in its third year of work. Several other blue-chip companies, including Sherwin-Williams and Ancestry, are repeat customers.

Mandell said her team is a group of expert problem-solvers. "Ideas can start anywhere," she concluded. "They can be as big or as small or as custom or turn-key as a partner might need. We have the creativity and production capabilities to deliver best-in-class content that delivers actionable, measurable results."

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