• The New York Times, Thursday, December 7, 2006 11:46 AM

The winner of a user-generated video contest sponsored by the CW network and Cadbury Schweppes' Sunkist line of sodas will win an unusual first prize: a role in an episode of the series "One Tree Hill" that will be filmed in the winner's hometown. Consumers will be able to vote online for their favorite submissions.

"One Tree Hill" is a serialized drama about the basketball players and cheerleaders at the fictitious Tree Hill, N.C., high school. In addition to the contest, Sunkist supplies signs, vending machines and products to dress the sets in various episodes. And the brand sponsored a six-city mall tour of musical acts associated with the series.

"This is 360-degree marketing," says Bill Morningstar, executive vice president for national sales at CW. "It starts on air, extends online and has the ultimate grassroots layer, the show coming to the hometown."

Read the whole story at The New York Times »