Bethenny Frankel – When Personal Brands Grow Stronger than the Real Housewives shows
Stars of reality shows getting personal brands bigger than the original series and wanting their own rightfully earned place in the networks’ broadcast schedule is nothing new. That’s the process that created LA Ink, spin off born back in Miami, or Korney and Khloe take on Miami, while still enjoying their time in Keeping up with the Kardashians.
The Real Housewives brand also seems to be generating its own fair share of audience grabbers. Dina Manzo was the first one to leave Real Housewives of New Jersey and now Bethenny Frankel is said to be getting her own show and claims she will not be returning to the New York edition if the current cast isn’t changed.
The reasons for her leaving are believed to be the overwhelming drama on the show, but saying goodbye is really easy when another show produced by the same network and dedicated entirely to Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel has already been well received and has thus been green-lit.
Bethenny runs a successful website, has gotten a deal for a new book as she is already a bestselling author, she is also a natural food chef and is doing a show following her wedding planning adventure. If that’s not enough her new show called Skinny & The City will air this fall. At the same time the Real Housewives brand is growing stronger, with the help of drama-driven popularity, is about to release a version of the show promoting Texas’ very own and very best Real Housewives of Houston.
Following a similar trend, Kate Gosselin will be starring in two new reality TV shows. The mother of 8 stopped being the star of Jon and Kate plus 8 when the couple decided they could no longer fix their problems and a divorce would be a better choice. After losing such a highly popular and successful show, TLC is back on track announcing a series of Kate plus 8 specials together with Twist of Kate, a reality show focusing on Kate Gosselin and the new paths she’s taking in her life.
While most shows are strong enough brands that a star deciding to leave does not come with a pull-the-plug verdict, the networks have learned not to lose their public and capitalize on the personal brands they helped build. Instead of driving people away because they no longer get along with their costars, they create new money making opportunities: new shows, fresh focus, more people watching.
