Forget millennials, ABC Family is moving onto the “becomers” and rebranding as #Freeform.
On October 6, the network announced plans to change its name as soon as January 2016. But what does that mean for all us devoted Pretty Little Liars fans? And what is Christmas without binge watching ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas or Harry Potter Weekends?
No need to panic. According to President Tom Ascheim, “Freeform will deliver new, exciting original content as well as all the favorite shows our viewers already love on ABC Family.” The network employees also hope to double network production within the next four years, including a new comedy series about Nicki Minaj.
Apparently this change is a long time coming. Ten to fifteen years ago, the network shifted its focus to millennials. Now, with shows like Pretty Little Liars and The Fosters, there is a growing contrast between the name “Family” and the network’s largest audience. The name also created misconception among non-viewers about the content of the network.
So what about the new target audience? As the oldest millennials are reaching their forties, the network decided to zoom in on a life stage, the “age group experiencing a lot of firsts—job, love, heartbreak—and figuring out who they are becoming,” said Ascheim. Hence the “becomers.”
With a new age group in mind, the network started promoting on social media with the hashtag #Freeform. They even released a trendy promo video with all of the network’s teen stars asking viewers how they “express freeform.”
Sources:
abcfamily.go.com