The WB’s Image Campaigns (1995-2006)

This article was initially simply a list of the image campaigns produced by The WB between 1999 and 2006. Evocative of stylish music videos, these campaigns featured the network’s youthful stars. It was then expanded to cover The WB’s promotional efforts from the very beginning of the network. Currently, it is a comprehensive look at rise of The WB as a network directed at the teenage demographic. And, in response from readers, it now includes the full image campaigns from 1999 through 2006.

Launching a television network is hard work. Just ask those responsible for the launch of the Fox back in 1986. When Warner Brothers announced on November 2nd, 1993 that it was forming its own network, many of those same people were reunited. Jamie Kellner, who served as president of the Fox Broadcasting Company from 1986 to 1993, became the first chief executive of The WB. Garth Ancier, Fox’s programming chief from 1986 to 1989, was brought on as president of programming [1].

Additionally, Bob Bibb and Lewis Goldstein, responsible for the promotional campaigns that launched Fox, were signed to head The WB’ advertising and on-air promotion. According to Kellner: “The same people that launched Fox are launching WB Network. We will look to Bob and Lew to do for WB what they so successfully did for Fox” [2]. Initially, the network would focus on the 12 to 34-year-old demographic [3].

At first, The WB would only program Wednesdays, with a two-hour block of sitcoms airing from 8-10PM. Promotional spots for the network began appearing in mid-December, featuring The WB’s mascot, Michigan J. Frog. Additional advertisements, designed by Bibb and Goldstein, were shown on a variety of cable channels including Nickelodeon and MTV, not to mention billboards, print media and radio [4].

On Wednesday, January 11th, at 8PM, The WB network began. Preceding the debut of The Wayans’ Brothers, as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck bickered over who gets to turn on the network, Michigan J. Frog leapt off cartoonist Chuck Jones’s sketchpad and flipped the switch himself. A new network had been born.

Only five days later, on Monday, January 16th, another new network signed on. The first broadcast on UPN — the United Paramount Network — was the two-hour premiere of Star Trek: Voyager. A second evening of UPN programming began the next day.

The WB finished its first half-season with an average 1.9/3 Nielsen rating, far below even UPN’s lowly 4.3/7 rating (by comparison, Fox had a 7.7/12 rating and champion ABC a 12.0/20) [5].

For the 1995-1996 season, The WB expanded to two nights a week, adding a Sunday line-up and cancelling only one of its freshman series, Muscle, and adopting Sister, Sister from ABC. It also began a weekday children’s hour and a three-hour block on Saturday mornings, all under the Kids WB banner.

That same season, ABC began moving away from family sitcoms, giving The WB hope that it could draw those viewers to its family-friendly line-up. According to Garth Ancier, “ABC’s move opens up a great market niche for us [and] we’re more than happy to serve the kids, teens and 18-34 demographic” [6].

Whether it was the ABC factor or better programming, overall, The WB ended its second season with a 2.4/4 rating, while UPN fell to a 3.1/5 [7]. The introduction of The WB’s first drama series, a Southern soap opera from producer Aaron Spelling called Savannah, in January of 1996 gave the network a much-needed boost.

A third evening of programming — Mondays — and the premiere of drama 7th Heaven marked the 1996-1997 season. The WB also introduced its “Dubba Dubba Dubba WB” campaign, featuring both Michigan J. Frog and the network’s stars. “It’s not a frog, it’s an attitude, a consistency from show to show,” explained Bob Bibb [8].

In its third season on the air, The WB increased its average rating slightly to a 2.6/4 [9]. But the big news that season was the premiere of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer in March of 1997, which finally gave The WB a series that it felt it could propel into a hit. In May of 1997, Jamie Kellner said of the series: “‘Buffy’ has all the ingredients. People are finally beginning to say this show is cool” [10].

As the 1997-1998 season got underway, The WB had its first “hit” series and the second most recognizable slogan (”Dubba Dubba Dubba WB”) among adults, first among teens [11]. Rather than expanding again in the fall, the network decided to wait until midseason to add a new night. On Tuesday, January 20th, 1998, The WB premiered Dawson’s Creek, an angst-ridden teen drama likened by critics as Peyton Place for a new generation [12].

Helping to give Dawson’s Creek a contemporary soundtrack was an exciting new marketing trick devised by The WB. In return for a reduced licensing fee, the network would place 15-second promos at the end of Dawson’s Creek featuring bands whose music was heard during that evening’s episode [13]. These “ad cards” were also featured in Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and eventually much of The WB’s programming.

The WB’s 3.1/5 rating for the 1997-1998 finally pushed it past UPN; it was also the only network to show a year-to-year increase [14]. A strong Monday evening and a successful Tuesday gave The WB the edge it needed. The network’s recognizable brand — now skewing towards teenagers more than children — was furthered with the debut of Felicity and Charmed in the fall of 1998.

The network spend a reported $5 million to promote Felicity and its young star Keri Russell on billboards and bus ads [15]. The network was now programming five evenings a night (only Friday and Saturday were left) and its sitcoms were easily outnumbered by hour-long dramas.

Promotional spots called “back lot breaks” featuring the network’s young stars telling behind-the-scenes stories were introduced this season, although The WB’s back lot had been a cornerstone of the network’s promotional efforts from day one.

Once again, The WB’s 3.2/5 rating at the end of the 1998-1999 season made it the only network to see its ratings increase year-to-year [16]. The network saw the end of an era in May of 1999 when both The Wayans Brothers and Unhappily Ever After came to an end. Both sitcoms had premiered alongside the network back in January of 1995 (Muscle had been cancelled after its first thirteen episodes while The Parent ‘Hood wrapped its run during the summer of 1999).

With ratings up, its identify firmly in place and a schedule filled with youth-centered dramas, The WB began the 1999-2000 season on a high note. The network crafted an image campaign around the song “Crawl” by Thisway, which appeared on the band’s self-titled debut album.

A promotional video, dubbed “The Faces of the WB,” featured the network’s stars in graceful, refined poses.

The following year the network tapped pop singer Vitamin C to remix “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” originally performed by Frank Valli and the Four Seasons. The lyrics were altered slightly, changing 1963 to 1993.

Unlike the quiet sophistication of “The Faces of the WB” campaign, 2000’s “The Night Is Young” was fast-paced, depicting the network’s young actors and actresses in a fun, party atmosphere.

Once again, a remix was at the center of The WB’s 2001-2002 image campaign. Eden’s Crush, the girl group formed as part of The WB’s Popstars reality series, joined rapper Hesher to remix a version of “My Generation,” originally performed by The Who.

Hesher and the members of Eden’s Crush appeared in the promotional spot alongside the network’s stars.

Lillix, another pop girl group, this one hailing from Canada, remixed “Who Do You Love” for The WB’s 2002-2003 image campaign. The song was originally released by the Romantics in the 1970s.

Another song by The Romantics, “What I Like About You,” was remixed by the same group for use as the theme song to The WB’s new comedy What I Like About You, which premiered in September of 2002.

Unlike the earlier campaigns, the 2003-2004 image piece lacked vocals and incorporated clips from various shows from The WB.

The clips were accompanied by an unidentified piano solo, most likely commissioned especially for the network.

The 2004-2005 brought about the ten-year anniversary of The WB. The idea behind the 2004 image campaign was thus born.

For this campaign, the stars were back, the episode clips were out, and computer graphics were everywhere. The music for this campaign is “Ride” by The Vines.

During the 2005-2006 season, The WB’s image campaign featured a song entitled “Keep On Rising” by Bent Fabric.

Like the 2003-2004 campaign, this one involved clips from The WB’s various shows.

On January 24th, 2006, UPN and The WB announced on that they were merging to create The CW in September of 2006. The final five-hour broadcast of programming from The WB took place on Sunday, September 17th, 2006. The pilot episodes to Felicity, Angel, Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Dawson’s Creek were aired from 5-10PM. Also shown were promos and commercials from the eleven-year history of the network.

A final montage, with clips from the various image campaigns set to the song “Crawl” by Thisway (from the 1999 image campaign), ended with Michigan J. Frog taking a bow.

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Last Updated June 26th, 2008