DISH Network Gets Personal

DISH Network has been in what seems like a never-ending battle, playing third fiddle to DirectTV and big cable providers like Comcast (Xfinity), Cox and Time Warner. Their growth over the last few years has been somewhat impressive and they’ve seen marginal success playing the pricing game in their past campaigns. However, for the most part they have played the same game as DirectTV and Comcast rather plan plowing their own road, attempting to boast number of HD channels or sports packages. Although they have offered cheaper service and a progressive HD service, DISH’s brand hasn’t outgrown their underdog status.

DISH is seemly trying to change this fact by taking a different angle in their latest “Let’s Watch TV” campaign, going for a transparent, down-to-Earth strategy. Their new TV ad campaign features DISH CEO & Founder Charlie Ergen reminiscing on the company’s humble beginnings inviting the viewer to “watch some TV” with him. It further drives this theme with a picture of a younger Ergen delivering “his first dish” himself on a trailer hitched to a motorcycle. Remember back when satellite dishes were huge?

Although this isn’t a necessarily groundbreaking strategy in general, for cable/satellite providers this isn’t exactly a common tactic either. Ultimately, they need to propel their brand positioning from an alternative for frustrated DirectTV and cable users to one of being the first choice over their competition. With their competition still trying to bigger, better and flashier than each other, DISH’s new campaign could have more customers truly “watching TV with them” in the near future.