ABC Family for Winter Wonderland: Journalists and
their families got into the holiday spirit at a Rockefeller Center event kicking off the 25 Days of Christmas.
Discovery for Planet Green Launch Media Event in
Los Angeles: Rocker Tommy Lee and rapper Ludacris not
only starred in the nale of the Planet Green series
Battleground Earth, they headlined a concert at the Greek Theater
that heralded the launch of the 24/7 eco-lifestyle network.
ESPN for ESPN’s 2008 Upfront Event: For one night in
May, the hottest Broadway ticket was ESPN’s live presentation of an upfront version of agship show SportsCenter
with hosts Scott Van Pelt and Steve Levy.
Hallmark Channel for Hallmark Movie Channel HD
Launch in Peoria: Hallmark took Jack Benny’s infamous
question “Will it play in Peoria?” literally when it unveiled its HD
movie channel at the Civic Center of the Illinois city, complete
with a Q&A session with students from a local arts school.
National Geographic Channel for Dog Whisperer
100th Episode Celebration: Nat Geo didn’t need a high-pitched whistle to attract press to this Hollywood event,
which reunited hundreds of dogs and owners from the
series’ past four seasons.
Winner: CNN for CNN Grill
Last summer’s political conventions were all about parties,
and we’re not talking Democrats and Republicans. CNN generated buzz by playing host to the best parties. And like the
conventions, CNN’s parties were 24/7 affairs. The network
scored big with invite-only, free gourmet grills it hosted just
steps from the convention centers’ front doors during the
Democratic and Republican confabs. The venues were a self-perpetuating hot spot for political and media VIPs as well as
celebs from Spike Lee to Caroline Kennedy, resulting in tens
of millions of media impressions.
On the menu: Black Angus burgers re-branded as “CNN
Prime,” “Left/Right Wing” buffalo wings and red, white and
blue cupcakes, plus Breckenridge Brewery beer, served in
CNN-labeled bottles.
♣
Winner: Discovery Communications
for Planet Green Launch
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
ESPN for NASCAR on ESPN: ESPN scored stories
featuring ESPN motor sports in 77 of the country’s largest
newspapers.
National Geographic Channel for Expedition Week:
With its Expedition Week press blitz for critics, science and
travel writers and mainstream media, Nat Geo tapped into
everyone’s inner Indiana Jones to fuel a big ratings rise.
Bravo for Real Housewives of Atlanta: With a cast
that included NBA and NFL wives, Bravo smartly reached
out to sportswriters for Real Housewives of Atlanta.
History for 102 Minutes That Changed America: The
network used a light touch when promoting the 9/11 documentary, tapping key press for off-the-record reactions and
presenting a screening for New York City re chiefs.
IFC for The IFC Media Project: As part of its media
campaign, IFC formed a panel of well-known journalists to
discuss the state of the media business, led by author and
blogger Arianna Huf ngton.
ABC Family for Secret Life of the American Teenager:
The story of an unplanned teenage pregnancy garnered
critical praise and best-ever ratings for an original series on
ABC Family, thanks in part to a press effort centered on star
Molly Ringwald.
To build buzz for its new network, Discovery Communications
needed to keep its foot on the eco-friendly gas pedal for several
months before launch. They did so by revealing the Planet
Green programming slate via exclusive articles in The Wall Street
Journal, USA Today and Variety. Then the team shifted focus to
its non-pro t partnerships on Earth Day, such as its Plant a Billion Trees effort with The Nature Conservancy, and followed that
with a massive media blitz on virtually every broadcast morning
show, entertainment program and entertainment magazine.
And let’s not forget that Planet Green joined forces with Major
League Baseball in ve cities to promote the network’s June 4
debut. In DC, the home team Nats wore green hats that day.
