• by David Kaplan , November 9, 2004

It sounds like the plan of a boy genius: To promote the syndicated off-net run of the sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle," Twentieth Television is partnering with Clear Channel Entertainment and XM Satellite Radio on a "Malcolm 'With You' Sweepstakes" that brings together virtually every media venue under the sun.

The promotion is built around the production and distribution of a dedicated song and a promotional music video to differentiate the series and its five-days-a-week run in syndication from other programs in the marketplace.

Twentieth Television, which distributes "Malcolm," expects the promotion to generate more than 300 million impressions, which a spokeswoman said represents a media value of $15.5 million.

The campaign will use Clear Channel and XM together to target a wide array of key demographics through music, television, radio, on-line, in-theater lobby, and out-of-home mobile marketing tactics via advertisements on a fleet of 18-wheeler trucks, all designed to effectively promote the program and its sweepstakes contest.

In launching the promotion, Twentieth Television has staged a "Battle of the Bands" among Clear Channel Entertainment's music roster, with the band Clear Static recording and performing "Malcolm in the Middle With You" (a reworked version of '70s chestnut "Stuck in the Middle With You" featuring new lyrics exclusively written from Malcolm's point of view.

The song will be produced and incorporated into an exciting and cutting-edge promotional music video featuring animated graphics woven into humorous live-action clips of the sitcom. Shorter versions of the song and video will be edited into on-air spots for television stations airing "Malcolm in the Middle," as well as radio station partners in the top 25 markets. The spots will also be shown in theaters, and the band will perform the song on its upcoming tour.

Additionally, on November 11th Clear Static will perform live and be interviewed on XM Satellite Radio at its state-of-the-art studios in Washington, DC. XM will also program 60-second versions of "Malcolm in the Middle With You" on numerous commercial news/talk stations offered through the service.