CBS has taken a break from those glamorous digital program deals to expand into an older, now more traditional medium: in-flight TV. CBS will increase its involvement with American Airlines' "CBS Eye
on American" series by taking over the advertising sales. For the first time, "CBS Eye on American" will be sold as part of the CBS 2006-07 Upfront.
CBS won't just be selling
straight commercial time, but will look to enlarge this into product placement deals in and around the in-flight series. That could mean product integration within TV shows as well as branding
opportunities on in-flight products--napkins, snack boxes, and coffee cups.
CBS will also distribute its new entertainment magazine WATCH! to American Airlines passengers--as a one-time
distribution during the month of September. The magazine will be incorporated into the September 2006 issue of the American Airlines magazine AAttractions. This is another in a series of
aggressive moves by CBS in out-of-home businesses recently. CBS formed a partnership with SignStorey Inc. to produce original branded CBS content that will appear in over 1200 supermarkets nationwide,
beginning in June 2006.
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Earlier this season, CBS tried to bring to life the long-time word-of-mouth marketing approach to getting "watercooler" buzz generated for its TV shows, by promoting its
comedy series in drugstores with advertising on Aquacell watercoolers in New York and Los Angeles. In addition, the network offers "CBS Eye on Royal Caribbean" on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships.