Alvin and I have been talking quite a bit lately about some of our favorite TV shows starting back up (namely Mad Men & Top Chef). After Alvin's blog last week, we got to talking more about the premier of Mad Men | Season 3 this week and the abundance of marketing taking place in advance of the show (everything from viral sites to a Banana Republic clothing line) – especially in comparison to past seasons.

A theory emerged…

[Most] every successful show starts out with a quality, new, creative idea. That quality idea typically leads to a quality first season, where some, but not all, begin to watch. A successful Season 1 typically leads to a bit more marketing and thought that Season 2 might just produce the kind of viewership to support a true "hit". And here's where the interesting thing starts to happen…

It seems that after an even more successful Season 2, marketing hits an all out blitz, getting ready for a Season 3.

So when this happens, does the focus flip from producing something quality for viewers and fans, to instead recreating past success to generate an even larger audience-base? In other words: does the focus shift from creating a quality product to producing more revenue?

I think so.

I look at shows like the Office (U.S. version), American Idol, 24, and even LOST, and see how the quality, originality, and creativity all seemed to have peaked at and during Season 3. After that…well, they were and are certainly popular and making lots of money, but the quality has also diminished to the point where once loyal viewers (like myself) no longer tune in. And I believe that a continual (sometimes even gradual) decrease in quality will eventually lead to a show's unfortunate demise.

There's a branding principle in here too. Every company needs marketing and increased revenue to build a convincing, credible, and growing brand. But these should always be by-products of something amazing – and not the other way around.

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