• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, February 12, 2020

Quibi, the mobile-focused, short TV episode platform, has made it official with a big advertising campaign: five TV commercials during ABC’s Oscars awards event. All carried a simple message:

“Episodes in ten minutes or less.” And then “Quick Bites. Big Stories.” The spots' creative end with a Quibi launch date of April 6.

The TV creative focuses on a number of comedic, emergency situations where one needs to respond quickly -- say, strapped to a railroad track with a train coming; sinking in quick sand; or just getting bitten by a zombie.

What to do in those situations?

First, don’t call for help -- say a doctor or someone with a knife, in the case of the animated railroad spot. Instead, characters come to the realization there is just enough time to watch a ‘quick bite’ -- a short TV episode on Quibi. The Quibi name derives from the words "quick bites."

What isn’t mentioned specifically to consumers: Quibi is virtually defined and used as all-mobile video platform. Characters in the creative are handed a mobile phone.

That may seem like a missed opportunity. Quibi has a wide-marketing campaign, appealing to heavy mobile users, which typically are younger TV-media consumers than the viewing segment watching the Oscars.

Quibi was originally pitched as a platform for consumers in-between other activities outside the home, such as standing in line at a bank or waiting in a doctor's office.

Simple enough. But perhaps not all that exciting. Better question: What is on Quibi? No word from the ads, but to date, several upcoming shows have been announced, such as a talk show with Demi Lovato, a "Fugitive" revamp with Keifer Sutherland and a celebrity reality adventure show with Adam Devine, among others.

Big wannabe TV-based platforms/companies always have such dual-marketing efforts. They pitch brand awareness and tune-in promotions for individual content. Quibi did make some adjustments here: At the end of each TV commercial, there was a notice to go to quibi.com to access trailers and content.

The Oscars clocked in at its usual three and half plus hours -- keeping its crown as one of the longest single TV program of the year. And there is the rub.

How would this kind of long-form, premium TV content fit on Quibi? Guessing hundreds of small bites. Call in the Zombies.