Nashville’s heartland legacy: Thinkfactory Media’s grand move

A tribute to a country legend

As NBC celebrated a stellar summer, one of its standout events was a touching tribute to the late country singer Toby Keith. “Toby Keith: American Icon”, a two-hour concert special, brought together an array of country music’s brightest stars. With performances by Trace Adkins, Priscilla Block, Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, and Lainey Wilson, as well as a heartfelt appearance by Keith’s daughter, Krystal Keith, the tribute drew an impressive 4.7 million viewers on NBC on August 28 and the next day on Peacock.

A night to remember in Nashville

Filmed at Nashville’s iconic Bridgestone Arena, this special wasn’t just another concert. It became the most-watched show across broadcasts that night, outperforming even the lead-in from “America’s Got Talent” by 10%. A part of this success can be attributed to Thinkfactory Media, a production powerhouse known for hit shows such as “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” “Hatfields & McCoys,” and “Mama June.”

Doubling down on heartland content

In an ambitious move, Thinkfactory Media recently decided to centralize its operations in Nashville, relocating both its CEO, Adam Reed, and its home office to the heart of country music. Reed states, “If you look historically at Thinkfactory and what we’ve done over the past 20-plus years, we’ve really always had a heartland focus.” This move, he explained, is not a shift but rather a “doubling down.”

The heartland connection

Reed’s passion for heartland content runs deep. Raised in Bakersfield, California, he often quips that he “came out of the womb wearing cowboy boots.” His commitment to heartland content is driven by a belief that there is a significant audience underserved by conventional Hollywood productions. Deciding to immerse himself fully into the culture, Reed moved his family and company to Nashville, transforming how Thinkfactory connects with heartland audiences.

The game-changing strategy

Shifting Thinkfactory’s base to Nashville is more than a strategic move; it’s a cultural immersion. Reed emphasized the profound difference between producers who “fly in and fly out” and those who live among the community, absorbing its values and traditions. This approach, Reed argues, has been the real game changer.

Defining heartland content

While the definition of heartland content might be elusive, Reed insists it’s about unity beyond politics. “There are heartland-minded people on the coast; there are heartland-minded people everywhere in the country,” Reed notes. For him, heartland content embodies the spirit of unification and shared American values.

Tackling diverse genres

Thinkfactory has ventured into various genres under the heartland umbrella. Their hit show “Mama June: Family Crisis” exemplifies this with its genuine portrayal of a family facing real challenges. Despite its comedic elements, Reed believes it reflects core heartland experiences.

Encouraging more faith and family content

Industry experts, including UTA’s head of the heartland division, are optimistic about future trends. There is a growing demand for more faith and family content, particularly in the unscripted space. While scripted content like “The Chosen” has found success, there remains vast potential for unscripted portrayals of heartland values.

ITV America’s broader vision

ITV America CEO, David George, has his sights set on expanding heartland content across various brands. This includes Blumhouse, High Noon Entertainment, Leftfield Pictures, and Good Caper Content. George sees endless opportunities for cross-pollination of ideas between genres, including crime, food, lifestyle, and even male-skewing shows. “The sky’s the limit,” he asserts.

Expanding into scripted projects

While unscripted content remains Thinkfactory’s forte, the company is actively working on multiple scripted projects. These include music-inspired TV movies, holiday specials, and biopics featuring prominent personalities like Kane Brown, Darius Rucker, and Kimberly Schlapman.

Creating lasting relationships

Thinkfactory’s success is underpinned by strong relationships within the heartland community. A&E’s head of programming applauds Reed’s approach of building genuine connections with local talents and organizations. Trust and longstanding relationships have become the cornerstone of Thinkfactory’s operations in Nashville.

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