NBC and Microsoft Advertising on Thursday announced a partnership designed to promote NBC's "More Colorful" Fall 2010 program lineup. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The partnership will be executed through a multi-screen advertising campaign, including MSN, X-box, Microsoft Mobile and Bing.
"We are always searching for unique methods of informing people about our programs," said Adam Stotsky, president of marketing at NBC Entertainment.
For the partnership, Microsoft Advertising says it will deploy one of its largest and most comprehensive campaigns ever across 19 digital owned-and-operated properties, as well as syndicated partners -- to deliver a combined reach of nearly 470 million unique users monthly.
Microsoft Advertising will also develop original branded entertainment content for the campaign, using assets around NBC shows that will be tailored for specific audiences.
NBC's multi-screen digital advertising campaign will kick off on May 17 -- the day NBC announces its new 2010-11 program schedule -- and will run though the premiere of the fall programs.
The early launch of the NBC marketing campaign is designed to engage viewers so they can "sample, share and discuss" the upcoming fall shows, according to NBC.
"This is a novel way for NBC to promote its new shows," said Scott Moore, regional partner executive producer, MSN.
The campaign will feature various digital advertising components, including multiple takeovers of MSN and gossip site Wonderwall; re-messaging to "network enthusiasts" across Microsoft properties; integration with Bing Visual Search; and a mobile dimension and in-game advertising on new Xbox LIVE games.
NBC also plans to work with Microsoft executives at MSN TV and MSN Entertainment to create a custom "Preview to Fall TV" media hub, which is expected to go live in conjunction with the announcements of the broadcast networks' Fall schedules.
The cache of Microsoft's media properties will be encouraging their loyal readers to check out NBC's media offerings instead. Only so many hours in a day...Microsoft is telling their customers to spend some of that time with their media competitor.
If this article was about McDonalds partnering with Burger King to promote their new sandwich, would there be more headscratching?
Yet this happens every day in the ad industry. Why? I have a theory...This can only make sense if you are selling an asset you don't control to begin with. In the world of advertising, media companies are selling an asset they don't own...namely consumer time and attention. Since they don't control it, it seems perfectly logical to offer it up to competitors or frankly anyone else.
-Dave
blog.gomper.com