Since 2011, the Hallmark Channel has been running a programming event called Countdown to Christmas. Like its name suggests, it is Christmas-themed content that starts up in November and continues running until New Year’s Day, meaning that it is a much more scaled-up version of the Christmas programming that can be found on other channels at around this time. With that said, while some people might complain about Christmas programming encroaching earlier and earlier, it is important to note that Countdown to Christmas has been a huge success for the Hallmark Channel ever since it started up.
Why Has the Countdown to Christmas Been So Successful for Hallmark?
The main reason that Countdown to Christmas has been so successful is rather simple and straightforward. Simply put, the Christmas-themed content shown on the Hallmark Channel is comfortable in a way that most TV content is not. There is neither blood nor sex nor anything else that can be interpreted as being even a little bit controversial to be found on the Hallmark Channel, which is appealing to people who find much of modern TV to be “edgier” than it should be for their personal preferences. By switching over to the Hallmark Channel, these people can not just avoid the sort of the content that is bothering them but also lose themselves for a time in a cozy fantasy.
How Does This Help Hallmark?
Of course, considering the sheer amount of resources that the Hallmark Channel is pouring into its Countdown to Christmas, it should come as no surprise to learn that it is well worth its cost. As stated, the programming event brings in a lot of viewers, which in turn, means a lot of opportunities to sell various products to interested individuals. However, it is important to note that Countdown to Christmas makes the Hallmark Channel the single most popular channel of its kind with women between the ages of 25 and 54. Something that matters because they do a disproportionate amount of the shopping, which in turn, means that they have a disproportionate amount of relevance to marketers, particularly when the Christmas shopping season is starting up.
Summed up, it is no wonder that the Hallmark Channel is so enthusiastic when it comes to Christmas-themed content. Judging by its results, it is essentially a marketing bonanza, as shown by the fact that it managed to reach more than 70 million viewers in 2016. Furthermore, considering that the figures for 2017 were actually a 22 percent increase compared to the figures for 2016, one cannot help but wonder what 2017 will produce in this regard.
With that said, it is interesting to note that the Hallmark Channel is putting more resources into other themed programming events as well. For proof, look no further than the fact that it showed a fall-themed programming event before the current Christmas-themed one. This has been stated to be a deliberative attempt to mimic the effects of the changing seasons on Hallmark stores, which can see significant differences from holiday to holiday. Regardless, while other holidays might not be as popular as Christmas, it will be interesting to see whether Hallmark will be capable of replicating a degree of the same success for its other themed programming events as they continue to get shown.
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