• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, July 12, 2006

It's still The WB11 on the air, but not outside in the Big Apple. The coming CW network has launched an outdoor campaign in New York displaying the station's new moniker come fall: The CW11.

The CW11 brand will float around the city even as "The WB11 News at Ten" continues and the moribund name makes other on- and off-air appearances. The station, WPIX, will officially switch over to The CW at 10 p.m. on Sept. 17, when its late newscast becomes "The CW11 News at Ten." The CW network's primetime lineup launches the next night.

The out-of-home effort in New York uses subway posters, bus shelters, and bus sides to plug The CW's shows, such as "America's Next Top Model," "Smallville," and "Friday Night Smackdown!" The CW11 logo is woven into the striking green displays. The CW is essentially a merger of The WB and UPN.

The campaign is paid for by the network, which is also running similar outdoor efforts in eight other markets, including Los Angeles and Chicago. The CW's "Free to Be..." tagline is prominently displayed. "This is a teaser element; there'll be a lot more to come," said CW representative Paul McGuire, declining to comment on future plans.

WPIX will also launch its own local re-branding efforts come late July, according to a station representative. Not surprisingly, since it is plugging a new network, The CW appears to be the first network to begin running out-of-home creative for the new fall season. "It's early, but keep in mind we're launching a whole new network," McGuire said. Besides the outdoor effort, stations that will become CW affiliates are running some on-air spots touting the change.

Referring to The WB11's efforts to re-brand locally, Bill Hague, a vice president at consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates, said the switch to CW is "a mouthful, and from a consumer standpoint could get confusing," adding, "We can't underestimate the wisdom and smarts and adaptability of consumers."