• by Wayne Friedman , April 19, 2010

Cable network History is getting some unusual advertising/programming help for its massive 12-hour series "America: The Story of Us" from Bank of America.

Bank of America is not only the presenting sponsor of the series -- it will produce, through a partnership with History, 12 two-minute, original mini-documentaries about itself.

Bank of America's marketing support will also include integrated marketing, including video on-demand programing and online. To reach its more than 58 million customers and 282,000 associates, the company will air series trailers and segments on screens in more than 1,000 Bank of America banking centers.

Other ads will appear on BofA's Web sites, which have about 24 million unique monthly visitors.

History says the mini-documentaries will showcase the roles Bank of has played throughout America's history. The bank's historical roots go back to 1784.

"We could not have found a more perfect, natural partner," stated Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of History.

Other corporate underwriters of the series include General Motors, Valspar and Geico. The series will debut Sunday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Starcom USA, Bank of America's media agency of record, helped ink the deal.