Reflecting on Over 30 years of TV Promos: What’s Changed and What’s Stayed the Same?
James Paterson
Australian Television Archive, Broadcast Film & Video Digitisation Services
By James Paterson, Australian Television Archive
13/10/24
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been deep in the archives, digitizing showreels from the 1990s and 2000s. It’s a fascinating look back at the TV landscape, a time capsule of sorts, and it got me thinking about how much has actually changed—and how much has stayed the same—especially in TV promos.
Take Network 10’s 1992 season, for example. Slogans like “What’s New for ’92!” and “Just Watch Us Now” were everywhere, embodying the bold, high-energy vibes of the era. These promos had a distinct personality, each one carrying its own creative spark. The colors were bright, the edits fast-paced, and the voiceovers energetic.
But as I moved into digitizing promos from the 2000s, something interesting stood out. A colleague and I recently watched a 2004 showreel, and we both had the same reaction: It hasn’t aged at all. The programming felt familiar, the voiceover style was unchanged, and the overall tone seemed almost identical to what we see today. And that got me thinking—2004 was 20 years ago!
Have TV Promos Hit a Formula?
Looking back at that 2004 showreel, the consistency in style compared to today’s promos was striking. From the tone of the voiceovers to the editing techniques, there’s been little evolution in the approach. While this may not seem surprising at first, it becomes more thought-provoking when you consider how different things were in previous decades. Imagine standing in 1992 and watching a 1972 promo reel. The differences would’ve been jarring—the technology, the style of editing, even the types of shows being promoted would be worlds apart.
This shift—or lack thereof—raises a bigger question: Have TV promos hit a creative plateau? Are we seeing a reliance on tried-and-true templates rather than pushing the boundaries of what a TV promo could be? Or is it that the industry has simply found a winning formula and stuck with it?
The TV Promo Formula: Why the Shift?
Promos in the 1990s had an innovative feel. They were colorful, experimental, and more willing to take risks. Fast-forward to the 2000s, and many of the promos follow a clear, template-based structure. A lot of the creativity that once existed seems to have been streamlined.
There could be a few reasons for this. The rise of digital technology has certainly made certain production techniques faster and easier. As the pace of content creation increased, efficiency became a top priority, which might have led to less experimentation. Similarly, as media conglomerates expanded, promos may have become more formulaic to appeal to wider, global audiences.
Another potential reason is the way viewers consume media today. In an era of fragmented attention, with countless platforms competing for time, there’s pressure on promo producers to stick to what works. It could be that the standard format—recognizable voiceovers, tight editing, and consistent branding—has become the safest bet to capture fleeting attention.
Is It Time to Evolve?
The real question now is whether TV promos will evolve again. Are we on the verge of a new era of innovation in media promotion, or will the industry continue to rely on the same formula? It’s possible that as streaming platforms and new forms of media continue to grow, we might see a shift toward more creative and personalized promos—something that taps into niche audiences in a way network TV promos no longer can.
Or maybe the formula is here to stay, perfected over the years as an efficient way to convey information quickly in a saturated market.
Looking Forward by Looking Back
As someone who works with archival footage daily, I can’t help but reflect on these patterns. While TV promos from the past 20 years may seem frozen in time, looking back even further reveals how much things have changed in the longer arc of television history. It makes me wonder—will we ever see the same leap in creativity that took place between 1972 and 1992? Or will future showreels from 2044 feel just as familiar as those from 2004 do today?
For now, I’ll keep digitizing, archiving, and pondering. What about you—do you think TV promos have stagnated, or have they simply found a winning formula?
Great insight James. I think promo work (which is mostly post-production) and editing in general is like the Boeing 737- it works, and everyone in the business is comfortable with the technology, as boring it may be. Back in the 90s, there was a lot of enthusiasm for what could be done in the editing suite; and the viewing audience had a growing appetite for television content. The enthusiasm has waned on both the creative and audience sides, which is not conducive to change. I remember when I stopped working on promos in the mid 2000s a top down management style emerged that stifled a lot of creativity. Also some promo production facilities were offering less money to editors, which might have contributed to a less creative environment.
As John Laws used to say. “ When you’re on a good thing. Stay with it” or something like that. The one change that has caught my ear, is the number of female voice overs there are now compared to even ten years ago.
Managing Editor at Creative Content
9moYou mean "stuck on the crap" setting .. :)