• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, June 28, 2007

Declaring success, HP has signed on to sponsor another year of MTV's multi-platform global reality series, "Meet or Delete."

Last year, HP and MTV partnered for the show's pilot, which included a branded entertainment component and a global multi-platform buy. This time around, HP will double its total spend, allowing MTV to drill ever deeper into local markets spanning some 36 countries.

Part of its long-running "The Computer is Personal Again" campaign, HP is the sole sponsor of "Meet or Delete," which explores how young people are connecting and building relationships through technology and the Internet.

"The short, easy to download 'Meet or Delete' episodes are targeted at the mode of entertainment this 'Net Generation' craves," said David Roman, vice president of HP's Personal Systems Group.

The investment seems to be paying off. According to a survey conducted by MTV, 65% of consumers found HP "more cool" because of its involvement in "Meet or Delete," and more than half said they were more likely to consider buying HP products.

Season two, slated to run from September to the end of the year, will consist of two 30-minute prime-time specials on MTV in the U.S., a full season of eight new 30-minute episodes in India, six new 30-minute episodes in Korea, a new WAP site with 16 short-form episodes in Europe, four more short-form episodes on mtvU, user-generated promo spots, and other programming initiatives.

But the show would not have been possible without a strong Web component, bolstered by young people's newfound Web expertise, according to Stephen Friedman, general manager of mtvU.

"The digital component is critical because it creates a centralized way for our audience to hook up and connect," he said. "It's about the ease with which consumers can now access technology, which wasn't there two or three years ago."

MTV Networks is presently testing a number of technologies to help advertisers better target audiences worldwide. Just this month, it enlisted Visible World to help its advertisers customize and target both television and online video ads in real time. Through the deal, MTV is working with its ad partners to pre-program and edit multichannel campaigns across its various online and cable properties.

Facing fierce competition online, MTV just named Dan Hart to lead its Web operations as senior vice president and general manager of MTV Digital. The top digital seat at MTV had been empty since Ben White left the company in November, following on the heels of his comrade and former MTVN digital chief Jason Hirschhorn.