Its name preceding reputation, Sci Fi Channel thrives on the “what ifs” of this world, as implied by these moving illustrations from Mike Koelsch. Thrice, the advertisement demystifies the mysterious and the unknown in a reversal of roles, such that the mysterious and the unknown fear humans, rather than the other way around. These executions are great shoo-ins for speculative fiction, if anything.

From the illustration down to the copy, the ads are, at best, homage to Hollywood camp classics and post-Roswell imagination. On a different level, it’s an unabashed expression of solidarity with fanboys, the channel’s perceived core demographic, and at the same time, a creative but veiled outreach to an audience beyond its niche.

Since its inception in 1992, through its acquisition by NBC Universal, Sci Fi Channel has done just that, outgrowing its pigeonhole little by little. Oftentimes it meant ramming down the box altogether.

Hence it came to be that SciFi Channel spread itself thin, busting the confines of spaceships and futuristic cities to cover more of speculative fiction. The network is even mulling reality shows, even if doing so is a direct affront to its brand as a “fiction channel.” Already, it’s showing Ghost Hunters and Scare Tactics, and two more are in the pipelines, Estate of Panic and Cash or Capture.

That said, the network’s highest-rated shows are not far removed from its science. One of its most popular ever is a Steven Spielberg alien drama called Taken, which took a respectable chunk of 2002 ratings. A more current top draw for the network, Battlestar Galactica, is obviously about a space-traveling conveyance. But Battlestar Galactica tried to humanize its characters despite all the skittering lights, as did Taken.

This tastefulness in screenplay, coupled with a commitment to break its mold, vaunted Sci Fi as one of last year’s top-rating cable networks among individuals aged 25 to 54. More importantly, females are emerging as a substantial demographic for the network; they now account for 43 percent of its audience. Currently Sci Fi Channel has 12 channels internationally and is seen in 89 million homes.

Even so, Sci-Fi Channel tries harder. Last July, it partnered with micro-blogging site Twitter for Eureka Season 3. The show revolves around a community of geniuses in the Pacific Northwest, some of which live in a house named S.A.R.A.H. (Self Activated Residential Automated Habitat). For Fallon’s promotional campaign, S.A.R.A.H updated her Twitter fans regularly about future episodes and hinted at plot developments.

It’s a campaign befitting a channel not of this earth. For its next show, they could try beaming it into space, like what 20th Century Fox did for The Day The Earth Stood Still. Once again, that would be life ripping off science fiction. With that in mind, Sci Fi Channel should rest well, confident of its relevance by default.

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Milan, Italy
Creative Director: Agostino Toscana
Art Director: Luca Pannese
Copywriter: Luca Lorenzini
Illustrator: Mike Koelsch
Published: February 2009

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