• by Paul Gough , May 6, 2004

Last year, a knight and a kid helped MTV Networks. Last night, it was The Greatest and The Gang.

MTV Networks had a target demographic fixed in mind last night during its upfront presentation: Media buyers. And at Wednesday night's upfront presentation at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City, it brought all its brand power to bear to sell its channels as the way to reach a passionate, young audience and to combat declining broadcast audiences.

"This is the place you need to be advertising," said the opening act, "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart. "You're gonna go to the networks--they've got, quite frankly, I don't need to tell you--but they've got nothing. I don't mean that in a mean way, I just mean it in a way that what they have is no good."

Stewart set the tone for the two-hour show--a hip, funny, and sometimes self-mocking presentation that combined research, celebrity appearances, and a couple of skits and bits designed for those who make spots and dots their lives. Several top buyers were embedded into MTV's sales programming, including a "Crank Yankers" segment with MediaVest's Donna Speciale and a "Pimp My Office" with Mediaedge:cia's Rino Scanzoni. "The Daily Show" co-star Stephen Colbert, tongue firmly in cheek, called advertising "between-show entertainment"--and scored a hat trick with a segment that quickly turned into a riff on his availability as a pitchman.

"I can sell things, and I want to sell your things. I'm just famous enough that young people know who I am, but not famous enough that you can't afford me," Colbert said. "Obviously, I'm talking to the big boys out there. People like MindShare's Marc Goldstein--Markey Mark--Peggy Green over at Zenith and Tim Spengler, the Spengler-ator, at Initiative."

And while MTV didn't mention any other buyers' names, they talked their language. Even "Newlyweds" Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey made an effort, telling the audience how their show overindexes over all the key demographics.

"I'd be happy to share my analysis of our unduplicated reach," Simpson said.

At the presentation, MTV Networks officially unveiled several sales initiatives, including the ability to buy MTV's "10 Spot" commercials on their own and inventory on five networks that will aggregated rival what a broadcast network delivers in a number of target demographics. It will also turn The N, mtvU, and VH1 Classic to advertising-supported channels. MTV Networks also unveiled research that shows its prime position for adults 18-34 gross ratings points, as well as other highly desirable demographics from 12 to 54.

Research Executive Vice President Betsy Frank presented research that found that cable held a dominant position in viewers' hearts, with relevant content that connects to consumers and brings heightened advertiser awareness.

Last year's upfront presentation, the first for the combined networks, featured performances by Elton John, Kid Rock, and The Folksmen from "A Mighty Wind." This year, Alicia Keys, pioneer hip-hop artists The Sugarhill Gang, and '70s legends Fleetwood Mac performed. There were also appearances by Muhammad Ali, Dolly Parton, Candice Bergen, Fred Willard, and Paul Newman, among others.

And although MTV drew fire for its halftime show at this year's Super Bowl--and perhaps because of it--MTV Networks took special care to spotlight several of its public service initiatives. Viacom, MTV Networks' parent company, is strong on public service campaigns, winning praise for its campaign against HIV if not always press attention. (In fact, in his performance last year, John cited MTV's anti-HIV efforts as the primary reason that he agreed to play at the upfront event.) VH1 discussed its initiative to save music education in the public schools, but it was appearances by two men important in recent history that drove home MTV Networks' social action.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani delivered a message promoting early screening for prostate cancer--an effort sponsored by SpikeTV--and former CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite congratulated MTV's longtime efforts to help turn out the youth vote.