KarmaLoop fashion retailer set to expand into TV Network

Pharrell has had his fingers in several pies for years. From his work with the funk/hip hop hybrid, N.E.R.D., his production work as one half of the Neptunes, and his countless collaborations with rappers and pop stars. This summer though he will be sinking his toe into a new one, having been appointed creative director for the KarmaLoop TV network, set to launch sometime this year.

Targeted at the 18-34 demographic, KarmaLoop’s network will contain a mixture of new programming as well as older movies that helped shape that generation – one can assume that means a lot of teen romantic comedies such as “Pretty In Pink” and “Clueless.” As for the original programming, their online channel KarmaLoop TV is a fairly successful enterprise, but its segments tend to be only a couple minutes long at most and consist mainly of interviews with designers and musicians, so what it plans to do for full-length shows is unknown for the time being.

The aim for this network will be to get young adults excited about TV again the way MTV did in the 80s and early 90s—a good idea considering MTV has been primarily teen-oriented since 1998, but will it really work? Perhaps the same skills that rocketed “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Hollaback Girl” to #1 can transfer to creative TV programming. I’m just hoping Cablevision will carry it.