If you’ve been reading the Online Spin (JaOM’s sister publication) lately, you’ve been privy to many a discussion about the upfront buying season and the possibilities of it ever including the
Internet, as in a cross-media upfront. Judging by the debate, we’re a few years away from that (that’s if the practice of upfront TV buying even survives the next decade), but today’s USA/Yahoo! deal
could be an indication of things to come.
Vivendi Universal’s cable broadcaster USA Network and Yahoo Inc. today signed a deal for the promotion of USA's shows across Yahoo's network of sites in
what Yahoo has called its first multi-show upfront deal with a cable advertiser. The deal, incidentally, is USA’s largest commitment ever to an Internet media company. According to the announcement,
ads for USA shows will appear on Yahoo movie, TV, mail, news and sports sites, as well as in five different campaigns on Yahoo's front page. Naturally, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
More online upfront deals to come? Discuss…
On a different note, I have to applaud Springtime, a Stockholm-based creative agency, for their latest ABSOLUT
effort. Volvo did it first with their S60 in October 2000, now ABSOLUT is following suit – launching its new vodka flavor on its website. Consumers will get an online sneak peek at the latest addition
to the ABSOLUT family of vodkas - ABSOLUT VANILIA - just as the product is hitting the stores and bars and weeks before the offline ad campaign breaks. The best part is that the site is almost
entirely rich media and requires a broadband connection to view, which was a conscious decision on Absolut’s part – the company said they were looking to reach trendsetters. The site is definitely
worth a visit just to check out the features.
For the offline world, as well as narrowband vodka drinkers, ABSOLUT plans to take a more traditional approach later this month with a media buy that
includes print, outdoor and online advertising (via TBWA\Chiat\Day). The $7 million campaign will begin in mid-March at about the same time the product gets into liquor stores and bars.
We’ll keep
you posted on the results.