You Better Call Saul Now More Than Ever

This past Sunday night marked the debut of AMC's highly anticipated "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul."  Stemming off of the raging success of "Breaking Bad,"it was anticipated by many fans that "Saul" would deliver the goods of being suspenseful, dramatic, and leaving you on the edge of your seat.  It did just that.

Its easy to look forward to a show like "Saul" just for its cinematic value.  But if you are an advertiser, the demographic (and the amount of people from that demographic) that tunes in to the show can be a very intriguing gathering of facts that can pay dividends for clients.  

Consider this,  

• "According to Nielsen, 6.88 million viewers tuned into the premiere of "Better Call Saul" scoring a 3.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic."

• "4.36 million members of the 18-49 set tuned into the "Better Call Saul" premiere."

• "63% of the overall audience fell into the relevant audience."

(via http://adage.com/article/media/walking-dead-huge-amc-call-saul-sets-debut-record/297058/)


With this staggering amount of people tuning into this new hit show, advertisers have to consider AMC's 10pm time slot on Monday night as the holy grail for prime time media space.  The vast majority of the "Saul" audience resides between the ages of 18-49, representing a significant portion of the Millennials and Generation X. As the debut season of "Better Call Saul" and the madness that comes along with it progresses, so will the demanding madness to target this important audience demographic that rests their eyeballs on it weekly. Growing poplularity with AMC's shows, and the colossal popularity of an AMC spinoff, is a significant sign to advertisers that AMC maybe becoming the crown jewel for targeting young consumers.  With previous success with shows like "MadMen," "Walking Dead," and "Breaking Bad," AMC continues to establish itself as the ultimate business partner for the advertising industry.

Considering Millennials, they are continuing to change the idea of what previous generations have established as to what Americans are spending their money on.  According to an article by the National Journal, Millennials are "spending money differently than previous generations, preferring to throw cash at new experiences and adventures and to reward socially responsible companies that they can connect with and that they deem as authentic, and are are helping to disrupt the landscape of casual restaurants and boosting the earnings of chains such as Chipotle or Panera Bread."  In addition, the article states that Millennials are less interested in spending money on things that are luxurious and unhealthy, and more interested in spending money on products that are naturally made.  (via http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-economy/solutions-bank/the-secret-financial-habits-and-economic-prospects-of-millennials-20140903) 

With this in mind, maybe advertisers should consider saving the luxury and soda spots for other cable networks.  Almost 2/3 of this Sunday's "Better Call Saul" viewers would thank them for it. Millennials may think Doritos taste good and Cadillacs are cool, but we aren't exactly looking to spend our money on those products.  

With the dangerous, scandalous, and sometimes terrifying content that is conveyed on Vince Gilligian's popular shows, can we expect to see ad spots that do more of the same during the "Saul" slot?  It may be something to consider, since it is assumed the audience that is tuning in wants to be dazzled by the adventure and lawlessness that Saul Goodman delivers.  As a fan of the show myself, I think I can speak on behalf of fellow Millennials when I say we aren't exactly tuning into a show like that to be lectured on what cold medicine is right for us.  No thanks, we want to soak up the last bit of excitement we can get from the weekend, with the reality of Monday morning patiently waiting for us after the show is over.  So, do us a favor and just give us what we want:  Entertainment!!