Cameras click furiously as Tyra Banks, the most recognisable face in the fashion reality genre, takes the stage at the Equarius Hotel at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. Ms. Banks is here on a 3-day promotional trip to lend her support to Asia’s Next Top Model – the latest, and possibly the largest-scale production in the Next Top Model franchise. While Banks basks in the spotlight, looking inconspicuous below stage is managing director David Searl.
The man behind ice-TV, which specialises in branded entertainment, is no stranger to the power of recognition. “My background was in directing and producing TV commercials, so it’s very natural for me to go to advertising agencies to ask for money. I don’t think twice about that,” says David Searl, founder and Managing Director of ice-TV. “Advertising language is very different from TV language,” he adds, and his fl uency will be crucial in dealing with sponsors and other partners for Asia’s Next Top Model. While not the fi rst single-market adaptation of the Next Top Model format, Asia’s Next Top Model is the fi rst and biggest regional version so far and correspondingly, and has one of the biggest reality show budgets in Asia, according to Searl.
In the lead-up to the targeted November 2012 premiere across multiple pay and FTA channels yet to be announced, ice-TV has received implicit endorsement from franchise owner Tyra Banks, who lent her high-wattage, multimilliondollar branding here at the press conference in Singapore to promote the franchise.
Asia is a natural choice for adapting a fashion reality format. “Asia is so robust now,” Searl says. “The rest of the world is falling apart, but the Asian fashion industry is so strong, and Asian top models have been successful overseas, so Asia should be very proud.”
Banks agrees. “One thing that I’m really happy about is that a lot of (winners and contestants from) our international versions are actually doing New York Fashion Week; they’re doing Paris Fashion Week; Milan; so I’m really happy about that. There’s a girl that did Australia (fashion week), and people don’t really know, (whispering) ‘yeah she’s a Top Model girl’ – but yes, she’s on all the runways right now.” Despite the cachet of the globally recognisable format, “We’re not making America’s Next Top Model in Asia. We’re proudly making Asia’s Next Top Model,” Searl notes. “It’s all the different cultures, and you see it coming through,” he explains. “Reality shows in America are generally more aggressive than those in Asia. Asians like seeing those fi ghts and the back-stabbing, but that’s not part of the Asian culture. Asian reality shows are more about celebrating the best of what the contestants have to offer; the personality, the looks, but also the progression – watching them (contestants) progress through the episodes, particularly since there’s a lot of grooming and training. When they join the show, they’re all fresh faces. And over the shooting period, we aim to turn them into models; groom them, give them deportment classes, teach them how to cat walk and everything – so we need to see that development. We’re really (also) celebrating the best of Asian designers, photographers, stylists and other [fashion creatives].”
Reception for the Asian adaptation has been positive. Searl reveals that during casting call, applications came in even from aspiring models of Asian descent outside the region participated. “It almost became global casting. We even had Asian girls from Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea!”
Despite the cultural differences, the show’s structure will remain true to the American version. Ice-TV follows standard practice of having a production consultant from the franchise on set, but a multicultural cast and FTA contracts with local broadcasters in the region means carefully reconciling the production bible with local customs. “To make a format work in a territory, we have to adapt to local customs. First of all we have to be sensitive about too much skin. We have to be sensitive to the countries’ censorship regulations,” Searl says. Of course, that’s not to say Asia’s Next Top Model won’t be recognisable to fans of the franchise.
The show has four key parts, Searl says. “There’s always a lesson, a challenge, the photo shoots, then the judging.” The lesson and the judging – led by former model and VJ Nadia Hutagalung – will have language familiar to Next Top Model audiences. The challenges and photo shoots are driven by sponsors and broadcast partners to an extent, and as the fi rst multi-market adaptation of the format, the show will have noticeably higher production values that other single-territory versions produced on a domestic budget. “Because we’re positioning ourselves as pan-Asian, the expectations are different – the audience dictate that,” Searl explains. “The elimination set is magnifi cent. We have a very big team, with [an unusually large number of] story producers.” The production crew for Asia’s Next Top Model topped 100 on some days of the shoot, Searl shares.
A concern with the long-running franchise is the issue of viewer fatigue, given that Asia receives multiple incarnations simultaneously on top of reruns of the fl agship American series. Banks, who graduated this year with a business diploma from Harvard Business School, shares that “light bulb” moment she received while at school.
“One of the things our marketing professor says is, ‘if you don’t cannibalise yourself, someone else will.’ It made me go, ‘oh, maybe the fact that we had, at our height, 30-something international versions; the fact that we were on 170 countries (the American version) actually means, yes, we’re cannibalising ourselves, but it’s better than another competitor doing the same thing.’ And of course viewer fatigue is going to happen. I’m already thinking about that. (Top) Model’s ten steps ahead and we have answers for when that starts to happen,” assures Banks.
Searl says sponsors are also enthusiastic about the Asian adaptation. “It’s a known brand. With this show, once you show them the logo they go, ‘Oh okay,’ and you don’t have to show them the next few introductory slides. So it’s an easy show to sell,” Searl admits. “Will it be the same drama? People say Asians don’t emote. They think Asians are quiet, that they won’t argue or bitch, which is wrong. Of course they will!” Searl says with a laugh, sharing that he’s been in Asia 25 years. “It’s a good format to sell. I think we’ll really capitalise from cycle two onwards.”
While it’s too early to discuss cycle two, Banks was asked about the possibility of an U.S. versus Asia instalment, as inspired by the recent British Invasion in cycle 18. Banks, with a hearty laugh, welcomed the suggestion.
“Oh wow, bring it on! I don’t know (laughs)… we shall see. We just have to see how competitive our girls on Asia’s Next Top Model are. Those British girls are like (in her best British accent), ‘You can’t take us down. We want to beat your butts!’ So yeah, I thought Asian girls are ready to kick some American tail!”
