The casting of Jodie Whittaker as the thirteenth doctor gives BBC sci-fi show a much needed brand jolt
After 50 years, iconic British Sci-fi show finally gets female lead. The Time Lord from Gallifrey will regenerate later this year and history will be made.
With the regular regeneration of the Doctor, the brand has an inbuilt brand refresh in its DNA. With every regeneration, Dr Who gets the opportunity to refresh its image and appeal to the next generation. The concept of the lead character changing through regeneration enables the show to evolve and stay relevant. While the essence of the brand stays the same, the producers can draw on the unique personal brand of the new doctor and shift the brand image to engage and re-engage audiences.
It’s got not only fans excited (for the most part) but has also grabbed international spotlight. People who haven’t watched the show for years as well as those who have never heard of it are now interested.
The reaction from one little girl is priceless and shows the impact this can have (click the link below to see the girl’s reaction – it will make your day).
My daughter watching the #DoctorWho announcement. #doctor13 #DoctorWho13 pic.twitter.com/eX0w1rW4E9
— Jenny Trout (@Jenny_Trout) July 16, 2017
Just Like Wonder Woman, it’s great to see more strong female lead characters in what were stereo-typical male roles.
Interestingly, Whittaker seems very aware that this may take some getting used to for some of the die-hard fans. In a statement she said that “I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender. This is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change.”
New showrunner Chris Chibnall confirmed that they had been on the hunt for a female doctor and Whittaker was their first choice. He describes Jodie as “in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role.”
Let’s hope the show’s producers and marketing team can deliver on the hype to revive the show and reverse the sliding ratings.
Some of the other reactions on social media
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/886682295498924034
"Doctor Who is being run by PC lefties now"
In 1963, it had a woman producer and was directed by a gay Asian man. #doctor13 #DoctorWho
— Chris Down🏳️🌈 (@PlingetheElder) July 16, 2017
Terrific news! And about time. A new dawn. Congratulations to the excellent Jodie Whittaker. Here we go again…! #DoctorWho
— Mark Gatiss 💙 (@Markgatiss) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/ElizabethGmaz/status/886664250197934081
https://twitter.com/thewhoaddicts/status/886661297621934080
Michael Hughes
Michael is Managing Partner and Strategy Director at Truly Deeply, a brand agency with 25 years’ experience working with brands to position them for growth. His deep expertise is in unlocking the strategic power of your brand to create a differentiated, compelling and authentic brand proposition that will engage all your audiences. Michael has extensive experience working across Australia and the Middle East working with leading Australian and International organisations across just about every sector.