Telecoms, movie studios partner on $30M Movies on Demand push
A coalition of major Hollywood studios and cable companies have launched a $30 million campaign promoting the Movies on Demand service. The "Video store just moved in" effort, which launched March 17, features a sweepstakes, interactive media, a dedicated Web site at CableVideoStore.com, TV spots and print ads.
The initiative's cable partners include Time Warner Cable, Armstrong, Bend Broadband, Bright House Networks, iO TV, Comcast, Cox and Insight. Joining Warner Bros. on the studio side are 20th Century Fox, Focus Features, Lionsgate, Rogue, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Summit Entertainment and Universal Pictures.
“We used our usual good relationships with cable companies, particularly through the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, to rally around this campaign idea, which was put forth first by Warner Bros.,” said Sam Howe, EVP and CMO for Time Warner Cable. “We thought this sounded like a really good co-op campaign, and decided to respond to Warner Bros.' challenge and commitment by saying as a bloc, ‘Yes, let's do this.'”
CableVideoStore.com also features a sweepstakes, which consumers can enter to win a Sony Bravia TV. However, database building is not a primary objective of the campaign.
“To be frank, it's not part of the campaign to build a database in the first instance,” Howe said. “That may incidentally be an opportunity we act on later."
The creative agency for the campaign is Berlin Cameron United, with OMD US handling media buying.
The campaign focuses on the day-and-date capability of Movies on Demand, which allows consumers to select motion pictures on their cable boxes the same day the DVD is released. Consumers can also use the site through Facebook Connect and follow CableVideoStore on Twitter.
