For his entire career, Richard Branson has been a pioneer. When he launched his record shop in London in the 1970s, there was no predicting it would turn into a fully-fledged record label. There was also no telling that the success of Virgin Records would allow Branson to create Virgin Group, which is today a multinational venture capital conglomerate with companies in several industries, including travel and telecommunications.
Branson operates uniquely. He goes against the norm, such as creating the world’s first commercial spaceline, but he also pays attention to it. For instance, when the gambling industry moved online, and it became clear this was the way of the future, Branson launched Virgin Games and Virgin Bet. As the popularity of the online gambling industry increased even more, and it became clear New Jersey was a market to go after (in 2020, New Jersey bettors wagered around $6 billion), Branson launched Virgin Casino, a unique online casino for people in the NJ area. To date, New Jerseyans consider Virgin Casino to be one of the, if not the best NJ online casino, as it’s safe, doesn’t charge for card withdrawals, and offers exclusive games and deals, such as up to $100 cashback on net losses.
In his latest move through his telecommunications company, the 71-year-old could also be described as a savior. Television is changing, and what was popular 20 years ago is waning. Most notably is the axing of the Saturday night talent show genre, which has seen classics like The X Factor and even Virgin Media’s own Ireland’s Got Talent getting canceled. The fading of the genre is not surprising, considering most individuals prefer binge-watching original content on streaming services over weekly reality shows, unless it’s series like The Circle or Too Hot To Handle, which in 2020 was the seventh most searched for television show globally.
Still, if we’ve learned anything over the past couple of years, it’s that nostalgia marketing tactics work. It’s why television shows like Stranger Things, which embodies the 80s genre and will feature several new faces in its upcoming fourth season, skyrocketed to fame, and why they’re making multiple Avengers spin-off series’. Additionally, nostalgia marketing is why slot games on online casinos remain the most popular since many have themes that craft a nostalgic narrative through music, colours, and reel symbols.
Virgin Media is honing in on this in an attempt to revitalize the Saturday night talent show genre by releasing a competition series called “The Big Deal.” The talent competition has been described as Jeopardy with a twist, which is ideal for attracting fans who grew up watching Jeopardy. The show offers performers the chance to leave the competition with a cash buyout or keep going in hopes of winning the prize pot.
Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has been at the forefront of everyone’s lives for years. His companies are everywhere, in every industry, dominating whatever they do. So, if anyone’s going to revitalize the dying Saturday night talent show genre on television, it’s going to be Branson.
