THE #1 AV NEWS PUBLICATION. PERIOD.

ALLEZ CUISINE! Food Network And Selling TVs

food-network

 

It just came to my attention that right now Food Network is celebrating their 20th Anniversary.

Food Network has always held a special place in my heart, and not just because I love fine cuisine.

Back in the late 90s/early 2000s when broadcast TV was 480i NTSC I frequently referenced Food Network as an example of how awesome HDTV would be when it finally came; “Dude,” I would say, “imagine FOOD NETWORK in HD!”

Another reason for the fond memories of Food Network was because at one time, there was a brief internal struggle at Sony Store about “appropriate content” that should be screened on the demo TVs in the store.

Many low-number cable channels looked poor, and didn’t showcase the TVs quality. Conversely, higher-number cable specialty channels often had better video, but non-PG content.

Music video channels were forbidden outright, because of concerns about inappropriate content.

The purpose of the demo TVs on your showroom floor is just that, to showcase and sell TVs. So you need content that plays to the display’s strength.

At the same time, when you’re stuck in the store for 8-10 hours a day, you need something playing in the background that won’t drive you insane.

Food network was the perfect solution: fantastic visuals, and programming that wasn’t too repetitive.

That was how my crew and I discovered the IRON CHEF!

ironchef

Not the less-inspired US copy Iron Chef America that came later, but the poorly dubbed Japanese cult-classic original.

From the mysterious and dapper host Chairman Kaga to the whole Kitchen Stadium format it was so over the top, and so bizarre; we’d never seen anything like it.

At 8PM on Fridays work would screech to a halt (we seldom had customers those nights anyway), we’d gather around the biggest screen in the store, and follow along avidly, usually shouting out along with the campy dialog, like some culinary Rocky Horror Picture Show.

iron_chef

I can’t say for certain that Food Network helped us sell more TVs, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

Happy Birthday Food Network!

Top