"We will give our audience a chance to affect the look and feel of the network… to create their own videos and create content that we will feature on the air. No other broadcast network is in this space and we want to take ownership of it."
Bill Morningstar
Although every broadcast network made digital and broadband opportunities a centerpiece of their Upfront presentations, including NBC's lengthy and detailed presentation, the new CW Network's Upfront presentation is being heralded by advertisers as the most innovative and creative.
"We could have done business as usual but we decided it's a wonderful opportunity to do something different," CW's EVP sales Bill Morningstar told Jack Myers Media Business Report. "Business as usual was not an option. Every network has skin in the digital game but we looked at different ways to really connect to today's young adult and relate to the world they live in. We want our viewers to spend more time immersing themselves in our brand, to create an even deeper emotional connection with them and hopefully attach
advertisers so the brand value rubs off on them as well." Morningstar adds, "our goal was to create something entertaining for viewers that also presents value for the advertisers."
The CW president Dawn Ostroff added, "we approached our Upfront recognizing our target audience [adults 18 to 34] has an affinity for being online and on TV and on wireless. They are truly expecting this network to be on all these platforms. This audience is not sitting back and
watching. They're participating in the network and they see themselves as part of the network; it's not just a TV show they watch but a reflection of themselves and their generation."
The CW presented innovative advertiser opportunities that, if successful, will inevitably be embraced by other networks and online media, making The CW the most closely watched network by the ad community this Fall. The most interesting of the innovations is CW's Content Wraps, a nightly six-minute mini-program with integrated product
placement divided into three two-minute segments airing at 30-minute intervals within the primetime schedule. "The Content Wrap is an effort to change the actual viewing experience and make it more relevant," says Morningstar. "Each segment will ideally be an isolated pod and we're asking advertisers to cover the costs of the full commercial pod. Advertisers need to feel there is fair value and then some, which is where digital extensions come into play."
Ostroff explains the CW will have an in-house producer working with advertisers and agencies, who she expects to be closely involved in the creative process. But, she stresses, "every Content Wrap will be
based on concepts that could exist as 30-minute shows but are cut down. Our goal is to make each night an environment. Monday is family night; Tuesday is girl's night out; Wednesday, with America's Next Top Model and Beauty & the Geek, we can have make-over night or hire a life coach and deal with life's big moments. Thursday is
entertainment night when we can focus on the stars and directors of new movie releases in more entertaining ways and we can do they same with new albums and video games. Friday night we can take mini-films being created by viewers in the CW Lab and showcase them. On Sunday we can feature the good, bad and ugly of stand up comedy and karaoke contributed by viewers and professionals, featuring the great ones and the train wrecks, and invite viewers to vote. There are many more ideas," Ostroff adds. "The CW Content Wraps will be part of our environment and will appeal to the audience that's already there."
Morningstar acknowledges "like any creative effort, success is all in the execution. We need to make sure each segment is entertaining for the viewers and delivers good brand messaging for
marketers. When you do it right it's like magic. Out of the gate," he advises, "we will have only as many Content Wraps as we have the right concept and partners. Every idea," he adds, "will extend to other platforms."
Two other ideas presented at The CW Upfront that caught advertisers' attention were The CW Lounge and The CW Lab. (www.cwtv.com will be fully launched in August.) Ostroff explains "the Lounge is an online place where our viewers can engage with each other and create a community. This will become a place where people will go and
hang out." At The CW Lab, Morningstar adds, "we will give our audience a chance to affect the look and feel of the network. We are giving our audience the user tools to create their own videos and create content that we will feature on the air. No other broadcast network is in this space and we want to take ownership of it. We know our audience expects fame and fortune in their lifetime. We will give young adults a chance to mash together videos and have their 15-seconds of fame." Ostroff shared an anecdote about one of the 'runners' in the CW office who made his own "mash" spot that combined video
content from Top Model and Beauty & the Geek. "It was absolutely fantastic and will probably end up on our air. Viewers all around the country will do this and feel connected and involved with the network."
Morningstar announced to Jack Myers Media Business Report an additional advertiser opportunity that he calls "brand immersion." He describes the opportunity as "season long sponsorships attaching a brand to one of our programs. The sponsorships," he says, "will
have arms and legs including product integration, mall tours, sweepstakes, and web applications." Morningstar says The CW is looking to do more brand immersion campaigns, advising they are carefully constructed with the involvement of program producers to assure viewers are engaged by the sponsorship content. Ostroff adds, "there are not too many networks that can approach their business partners as a brand. There's a tremendous
opportunity for advertisers to benefit from the passion of our viewers and the established success of our shows."
She adds, "this network will be about innovation, participation, connection and community. These four words epitomize what we heard back in our research from both advertisers and consumers. It reinforced the importance of building emotional connections with audiences. We know
the audience we're going after and we know what makes them tick and what makes them want to be a part of the network in a bigger way."
Ostroff and her team had the challenging but fascinating opportunity to select from the programming slates of The WB and UPN to develop the new schedule for The CW, which will launch in mid-September. While some of their choices were controversial, and loyal fans of
programs such as Everwood, which was left off the new schedule, were disenfranchised, Ostroff explains "we knew Runaway was a show we wanted to program in the Fall. It tested well and we needed to determine which show would be best to help launch it. Seventh Heaven had established its success in the time period (Monday 8 PM), while Everwood never had success as a lead-off program.
Regarding the return of Veronica Mars, which several critics thought had run its course, Ostroff points out "when you look at the duplication of audiences between Veronica and Gilmore
Girls, and what both girls have in common, we wouldn't have been able to sleep if we didn't give it a shot. We can never look back and say what if."
For more information on The CW's advertiser
opportunities, contact Bill Morningstar at bill.morningstar@thewb.com
