• by Tom Siebert , October 10, 2006

XM Satellite Radio launched a new multi-platform ad campaign during prime time last night with a pair of spots blending music with animation to promote the pay service's 170 digital radio channels.

The campaign is the first from XM's new creative ad agency, Lowe New York--and will be integrated across an extensive marketing plan that includes network and cable TV, print, interactive, direct marketing, retail and automotive channels. The campaign kicks off in the early days of the all-important fourth-quarter sales period for XM, climaxing with the holiday buying season. No financial terms have been disclosed.

The two simple but arresting commercials, called "Hair" and "Switch," are available on XM's Web site. They use the company's gold sound waves logo against black background in a series of evolving scenarios that avoid voiceovers. Instead, the ads let the music speak for itself.

In "Hair," the logo is flipped, flopped, and reformed as tresses, spikes, beards and curls to match the format of music that accompanies it, which ranges from Johnny Cash to Beethoven to Flock of Seagulls.

"Switch" is set to the Regina Spektor single "Better"--and uses the logo to fill a variety of scenarios, including a heartbeat, a rising balloon, and a volume switch. Then--and perhaps ironically for a medium that positions itself as a next-generation entertainment technology--the logo morphs into a turntable.

The commercials aired on three of the four broadcast networks: "CSI: Miami" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC, and "Studio 60" on NBC.

Last week, XM reported 285,000 new subscribers, bringing its total subscribers to 7.2 million--and said it would reach its year-end target, between 7.7 million and 8.2 million subscribers. Sirius reported 441,101 new subscribers for a total of 5.1 million. Both XM and Sirius have been pummeled in the stock market in recent months.