Sky Atlantic set sail on British TV screens in February and, for many observers, marked a sea-change (no pun intended) in Sky’s attitude towards attracting and entertaining more discerning viewers there. The channel is structured around a spine of high quality programming from HBO, introducing new, criticallyacclaimed shows Boardwalk Empire and Blue Bloods and archive favourites like The Sopranos and Band of Brothers. In time, we will see the best of US content supplemented with home-grown British drama but, for the time being, this new channel is very much The Home of HBO. What’s surprising about the launch of Sky Atlantic is the way in which it has automatically and credibly joined the viewing repertoire of households in Britain. No questions asked. The main reason is the reputation of American channels and providers delivering fantastic and different content. It’s taken for granted that if you want decent, original programming, go west. Clearly this notion is a legacy of the entertainment industry that has seen us enjoy Hollywood movies for more than a century. But how long is it going to be before we see “Sky Pacific” launching in Europe – or “Sky Indian Ocean” for that matter? Joking aside, as things currently stand, it seems inconceivable in the short-term that there is likely to be a significant east-west trade route for entertainment content. But why is this so? Every newspaper tells us about the strength of the tiger economies or the BRICs nations. The manufacturing industry, which is helping to power this growth, is not translating so easily into manufacturing entertainment that Western audiences want to watch. Travelling around India recently, the entrepreneurial nous of that magnifi cent country is available for all to see. On every street corner, people are busy. There’s a sense of pride that is clearly closely associated with being occupied. I got the sense that this is a nation of creators, people making things. And, in entertainment, Bollywood is the best representation of this. But ask audiences in the UK to name a few of these films and they will struggle. In a TV industry meeting in London recently, I was surprised to see that no one had heard of Amitabh Bachchan. In India, the man is a living legend and influences the lives of millions every day. A household name at home, but not yet beyond. But the times they are a-changing. Shah Rukh Khan, one of India’s most bankable stars, is making a concerted attempt to crack the West. His 2010 film, My Name Is Khan (MNIK), which grossed almost $6.5m in its opening weekend in India to become a top three hit, has also done well outside the sub-continent. In the US, it became only the second Bollywood fi lm to surpass the $4m gross mark and also did well in the UK. One reason for the film’s success is arguably the setting, played out against the backdrop of 9/11 in the USA, providing the Bollywood stars with a scenario familiar to Western audiences. And, in my view, this contextualisation is the key to seeing more successful export of Asian content. By its nature, Asian programming content tends to be inclusive – reflective of family, custom, tradition, rites of passage and relationships – and therefore, not as easily accessible to some Western audiences less familiar with Asian culture. It’s not rocket science but those who know me know I’m no rocket scientist. Next time you’re sitting in a meeting and want some light relief, ask this question: Name five Asian brands that have made it big in the West. Chances are there will be a lot of consumer electronics names. Brands like Samsung, Sony and HTC. But what of internationally successful Asian media brands from the world of TV? That’s a tough call and, beyond Al-Jazeera, I’m racking my brains to think of another such known brand from the East. Key to the success of the electronics brands is the global nature of their products, cultural differences are not important in the purchasing decision and they have succeeded through product innovation, pricing strategies and functionality. Most people don’t even think about the nationality of their TV, mobile phone or laptop. But in comparison, for a commodity market like beer, the ‘cultural essence’ of each brand is used as a veneer to differentiate each product, such as Tiger and Kingfi sher. Television is a different and very distinct market. This goes some way to explaining why Asian television content has so far failed to cut through to Western markets to the extent of other industries. Unlike electronics brands, cultural differences are vitally important – but the ‘cultural essence’ of Asian content can often work against it in the West. It’s the Holy Grail for Asian television – great content that resonates with the West and yet still refl ects its distinct cultures and values. But both MNIK and Slumdog Millionaire have shown how applying a veneer made of the best values of Asian culture over a strong Western topic can result in a great success in the West. Asia cannot make localized content and automatically expect it to flourish in the West – the cultural differences are too great. Nor should Asia attempt to simply replicate the West. It will take a delicate infusion of Eastern and Western culture and values. When done properly, the effects can be fantastic. Therein lies the opportunity in my view. The prospect of Asia getting its act together, creating content that is targeted at Western sensibilities is huge. It will require some changes in mindset, not least a commitment to invest in creating TV content that has enough production quality to compete. But it’s clearly a question of when, not if. And incidentally, what’s stopping Asian companies inventing the next Facebook and Youtube. There’s clearly a way, but is there a will? —————————————————————– Over the last thirty years, Martin has created and relaunched some of the most renowned brands in the world including Channel 4, O2, the BBC and the Royal Opera House to name but a few. Long regarded as the foremost TV designer of his generation, he is the recipient of numerous awards including a BAFTA, Gold and Silver D&ADs and the D&AD President’s Award for outstanding creativity. He joined Heavenly in 2009.