Wednesday, September 26, 2007
New Fall TV Line-ups: Drivers and Viewers Wanted
byAs the excitement of fall slowly wears off and the people of the Midwest settle in for what promises to be a long, cold winter (c’mon, we all know its true) there is one more new autumn beginning to look forward to—the fall T.V. season, which kicked off Monday. And in this business, what could be more important than the shows themselves? Why, the advertisements, of course.
Whether the ads are promoting the shows themselves or certain brands and products, television has always been an important and innovative channel for marketing executives—no pun intended.
This year is no different, as the networks debut a new kind of ad that endorses the shows and the products all at the same time. The funny thing is, all the cross-promoted products seem to be vehicles…
A USA Today article highlighted some of these cross-promo ads. For example, during premiere week at CBS, the network will be running ads featuring CSI Miami actor Adam Rodriguez standing next to a red Cadillac CTS calling the night “The Cadillac of Premieres.”
CBS and Cadillac also joined forces to create USB flash drives that were sent out with subscriber copies of Entertainment Weekly loaded with CBS program information and promos for the Caddy CTS. CBS Marketing Group President George Schweitzer noted that the joint promotion appealed to him because, “together, we’re both pushing the message out there for CBS and Cadillac.”
Similarly, NBC paired with Nissan to create a contest during its hit show Heroes. Viewers can log on and answer questions about the show for a chance to win a 2008 Nissan Rogue SUV, and NBC will also use the vehicle for product placement during the show.
Not to be outdone, NBC also has a deal with Honda regarding the promotion of its show Bionic Woman.
If you’re looking for a new show and a new car this fall, the new cross-promo ads are just for you.
After all (and with apologies to the VW slogan), “Drivers and Viewers Wanted.”
