As British TV sensation “Downton Abbey” goes from ratings blockbuster to money-making worldwide brand, a large slice of the credit goes to West Hollywood marketing maven Brad Wald. He came up with the idea to sell everything from branded tea cups to tablecloths for the show when he served in London as chief commercial officer for International Television Production at NBCUniversal.
It was a role he assumed after a similar stint at E! Entertainment Television Networks, which he helped build into a global brand for parent NBCU.
NBCU purchased Carnival Films, the U.K. production company that makes “Downton Abbey,” in 2008, ending up with the most successful drama in PBS history. Wald was charged with maximizing branding opportunities. The show, which draws 10.1 million viewers an episode, according to the Nielsen ratings, began its fifth season earlier this month.
Wald, however, has moved on, returning to Los Angeles and looking to his next challenge. But first he’s sharing the secrets behind his triumphs.

Question: You were tasked with finding new revenue streams for “Downton Abbey.” How did you come up with the idea for so many consumer products?

Answer: When I saw “Downton Abbey,” I was immediately drawn in. It was beautifully shot, just visually stunning and I became a superfan. I also became convinced this beautiful lifestyle portfolio idea would appeal to a female target demographic.

Was that idea an easy sell to the powers that be?

There was a hesitation at first because of most people’s perception of consumer products. But I was keen to stress that this would be a quality line, and that’s what won the support. It was an important step to work with the show’s production designer and costume designer to respect the authenticity so that every pattern, every color is as seen on the show.

And it worked.

I’m very proud of the way the line has been received. Seeing “Downton” wine picked up year-round in World Market and “Downton” costume jewelry picked up by Macy’s year-round are just some of many deals that make me proud. I can’t and won’t discuss revenue totals, but the sales and the quality of the items make everyone happy.

What prompted the move? What’s next for you?

I was getting the itch to get back to the States and I love Los Angeles, which I see as a huge blank canvas. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and head up a company or build another brand. It’s such an interesting time in the entertainment business. Television is going through a renaissance now and the landscape is changing, as you can see from the Golden Globes won by Netflix and Amazon Studios shows. The whole media landscape is changing and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.

What do you mean by a ‘renaissance’ in television?

There are more platforms emerging to deliver content and, to gain awareness and subscribers and to compete, these platforms are delivering original, quality programming that is better than ever. And the trick to the studios producing these is to monetize this content in traditional ways and to think outside the box for innovative nontraditional ways to commercialize.

“Downton” is not the first time you’ve had to sell something to a hesitant audience.

E! had been on in the States for a few years and had potential for international growth. I traveled the world making my pitch to TV channels in various countries that they should carry it because Hollywood is internationally relevant. So are celebrities, and there is a real hunger for news about them. They would say, “We don’t care about that here.”

What was the turning point?

I never gave up. Each place I went I’d pick up the local magazines, show them pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the cover and use that as proof that their audience was interested. France was especially tough to crack. It took a couple of years, but we got there. The idea in each territory was we would dub most of the content into the local language but have the news show presented by local hosts, and that worked well. “Think global, go local” is the key to success.

E! was picked up in more than 50 countries.

What have been the biggest changes in the television business over all your years working in it?

There are many more channels and platforms to deliver content. There is broad delivery on major broadcasters, high-quality and very niche content on pay TV and now very strong content on (Internet) and other new-media platforms. So consumer choices and options have increased tremendously. A strong brand is key. It’s important for this original brand to carry through to whatever device or platform the programming is on.

What movie has had the most influence on you?

I liked “Star Wars” as a kid; saw it like five times. I didn’t get into action figures, though.