WGN America Finds a Brand Mantra Playing “Favorites”

Set in motion last fall amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 invites WGN America viewers to check out the mix of content offered week after week from popular perennials such as MASH and the Movies for America showcase to the growing number of crimecentric original series from Pure to Carter both launching second seasons later this yearamp160 At the moment amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 serves as the main bullet point in WGN Americaamp8217s current pitch for increased ad business during this Upfront seasonamp160 amp8220Our new brand focus amp8216We Play Favoritesamp8217 works really very well for us in ad sales because it just confirms what weamp8217ve always been known for with our clientsamp8221 says David Rotem Executive Vice President of Ad Sales and Marketing amp8220Quality amp8216offnetamp8217 syndicated series Alist talent dynamic and limited series originals blockbuster movies and great value amp160Our shows have great fan basesamp8221In the coming weeks the campaign will figure prominently in the networkamp8217s reentry into the unscripted series arena with the debut of Dogamp8217s Most Wanted featuring Duane amp8220Dogamp8221 Chapman and his wife Beth both pictured at top subjects of the longrunning AampampE Network series Dog the Bounty Hunteramp8220We did a recent shoot with himamp8221 recalls Brian Dollenmayer WGN Americaamp8217s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer amp160amp8220He embraced the tag line as in amp8216Dog is coming your favorite bounty hunteramp8217 amp160From a programming and marketing perspective we have built a robust campaign around our viewersamp8217 favorite films and television series and now itamp8217s who we are and what we doamp8221For advertisers amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 demonstrates the quality of WGN Americaamp8217s schedule incorporating originals and offnetwork material plus offering assurance that the commercials they run will reach consumers in a brandsafe framework adds Senior Vice President of Research Robin Thomas amp8220We showcase the quality of our offnet shows and the Alist talent involved with our originalsamp8221 she notes amp160amp8220These properties have great fan bases so going into this Upfront this is the first time weamp8217re using this message in the advertising spaceamp8221amp8220In this age of streaming and the idea that people are bingeing all their favorite shows why not go ahead and tell people what we really areamp8221 Dollenmayer muses amp160amp8220Weamp8217re a network that has bold original series but also has all your favorite shows your favorite characters amp160Itamp8217s a fun place amp160Come and watch amp160Youamp8217re invitedamp8221Onair messages launched the first stage of amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 amp160Some spots presented a comprehensive montage of WGN Americaamp8217s lineup while others were geared to specific firstrun seriesamp160 Offnet program spots and online videos were introduced soon after amp160From there amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 has been worked into several social media destinations and over the next few weeks will be the mantra for an upgraded website with a variety of new featuresamp160 A digital media initiative will followOne highlight of WGN Americaamp8217s current primetime order reruns of Last Man Standing has been an early beneficiary of amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 branding amp160Taking advantage of the Tim Allenstarring comedyamp8217s move to Fox with new episodes last fall the onair Last Man messages included trivia morsels quick playalong games announcements of themed week marathons and a contest where the winner was flown to Los Angeles to attend a taping of an episode and received a backstage visit with Allen and castmatesResult Last Man Standing has become WGN Americaamp8217s amp8220crown jewelamp8221 according to Thomas amp160amp8220The ratings for our presentation of the original ABC episodes have elevated so far this year over last year from the campaign and residual offthebroadcast return on Foxamp8221amp8220Last Man Standing has proven to be a favored sponsorship vehicle with our advertising partnersamp8221 Rotem addsamp160 amp8220Tim Allen and the family comedy setting really lend themselves to a broad spectrum of theme week marathons holiday stunts and custom content that brands really like to connect withamp8221As for the firstrun dramas amp8220We Play Favoritesamp8221 branding onair and elsewhere invite viewers to have Pure Gone or Carter become new favorites amp160amp8220When you have new programming the audience is not as familiar with weamp8217re trying to use this positioning to create viewing by emphasizing storylines and charactersamp8221 Thomas says amp160amp8220You want people to be invested in themamp8221Movies for Americaamp8217s ratings also have moved up to the point where several new elements will be launched in the coming monthsamp160 Cohosts Josh Macuga and Nicole Sterling will deliver their wraparound segments live and sponsors tiein opportunities will increase amp160amp8220Our hosted movie night WGN Movies for America continues to be a favorite with our clientsamp8221 says Rotemamp160 amp8220Josh and Nicole are fantastic at providing fun facts and movie trivia while also doing a great job of integrating brands into our contentamp8221amp160Going forward the campaign will be a factor in selecting what new series scripted and unscripted land on WGN Americaamp160 Dean Devlin the producer behind past TNT hits The Librarians and Leverage will contribute Almost Paradise starring Christian Kane as a fatigued FBI agent who finds trouble as he establishes a new life in the Philippinesamp8220Itamp8217s going to be light fun an adventure with the old Magnum PI sort of feelamp8221 explains Dollenmayer amp8220Kaneamp8217s a great actor whoamp8217s got a nice fan baseamp8221Chapman wife Beth and his colleagues will be tracking fugitives on various amp8220most wantedamp8221 lists for Dogamp8217s Most Wantedamp160 Enthusiasm about how viewers will embrace this series is encouraging WGN America to pursue more unscripted series amp8220Weamp8217re looking at a lot of other potential franchisesamp8221 adds Dollenmayer amp8220When you look at our brand criteria a lot of unscripted could fit that moldamp8221WGN America executives have a message for Fox should they decide to give their Last Man Standing revival the axe amp160amp8220Please have Tim Allen and the producers call us Weamp8217ll make the originals hereamp8221 Dollenmayer declaresMotion seconded by Thomas amp160amp8220That would be awesomeamp8221 she saysClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160amp160

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WGN America Finds a Brand Mantra Playing “Favorites”

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