ITV

Tag: Comedy Central

  • Comedy Central awards Cactii Communications its creative biz

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central, the English comedy channel from the Viacom18 stable, has awarded its creative mandate to Cactii Communications.

    “The agency will look after the creative initiatives across platforms of ATL and BTL. Cactii has already started work on new launches and new blocks,” Viacom18 vice president and general manager – English entertainment Ferzad Palia said.

    BBH, which was recently bought over by Publicis globally, was hired for the channel‘s launch project. Post the launch, Comedy Central called for a multi-agency pitch and zeroed in on Cactii in the end. Its duties include handling all ad-related work for the channel across media and merchandise.

  • Comedy Central goes BTL for Hot in Cleveland sitcom

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s comedy channel Comedy Central has rolled out a marketing campaign to promote its latest sitcom offering Hot in Cleveland. Instead of only sticking to the usual TV, print and OOH route, this time around the channel has opted for a more interactive and inclusive BTL route.

    The show is aired at 10 pm on weekdays and follows the lives of three middle-aged best friends from Los Angeles, who have to make an emergency landing at Cleveland on their flight to Paris.

    As part of the campaign, Comedy Central has tied up with Rubys to create some special ‘Hot in Cleveland’ drinks like Mango Margarita, Appletini, Watermelon Fizz and Ruby Coolers keeping in mind the tastes of a woman. Another tie up has been forged with coffee house chain Café Coffee Day where the ‘Hot in Cleveland Cappuccino’ has been introduced and will be available for the months of July and August.

    The channel has also collaborated with premium salon Juice where customers above the age of 40 may avail of the special ‘Hot in Cleveland’ package.

    Additionally, Comedy Central has partnered with Airtel DTH to play promos on the default channel for 10 days, Inox, which will have promo stills during the interval and Book My Show, In.com and Crossword, will actively promote the show over the next month through contests and other innovative branding.

  • Comedy Central to push for revenue growth

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central has roped in 30 advertisers after three months of launch and is looking at developing other revenue streams including on-ground events and licensing & merchandising.

    The on-ground events will kick off from the second half of the year. “Comedy goes beyond standup act routines. The events will be a combination of small scale and larger properties. We are exploring ideas. The challenge lies in their execution and doing them in a way that makes economic sense,” says Viacom18 Media senior VP, GM English entertainment Ferzad Palia.

    On the L&M front, Comedy Central will hope to capitalise from MTV and Nick, its two sister channels that have run longer in the Indian market. The channel will launch merchandise products for its show South Park in a couple of months.

    Says Palia, “This will cover a range of products. Because of Comedy Central‘s TG (15-34 years), avenues for purchase may be different from what has been seen. Depending on how this works we could launch merchandise that pushes the Comedy Central brand.”

    Comedy Central‘s first advertiser was Volkswagen. Now it has a roster of advertisers that include Jaguar, Nivea, Idea and Vodafone. “We are looking at doing innovations on TV and also outside it. This could take the shape of advertiser funded properties,” says Palia.

    The focus in the first year will be to get the sales strategy right. “There have been times when we have refused business as we felt that we were not getting a fair rate. Advertisers are getting more receptive towards this genre,” avers Palia.

    Content costs are a challenge with costs doubling in the last 18 months. “80 per cent of our content is acquired. 60 per cent of our content is old which is fine as comedy is evergreen. The balance 40 per cent is new content. We have managed to create a new genre,” says Palia.

    Comedy Central is exploring the possibility of starting local productions. “The challenge though will be to find content that lives up to the international standards,” concludes Palia.

  • Viacom launches service to connect clients with specific audiences

    Viacom launches service to connect clients with specific audiences

    MUMBAI: Viacom has launched ‘Surround Sound‘, a new sales capability enabling advertisers to reach specific audiences with pinpoint accuracy on every digital platform of the company‘s media networks including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

    Available from today, this service offers advertisers highly targeted, scaled media buys across nearly 100 million homes on-air, and more than 80 million unique visitors online as well as mobile and email users.

    The capability utilises Adobe® AudienceManager.

    Viacom Media Networks head of sales music and entertainment Jeff Lucas said, “Our brands excel at delivering highly targeted demos for advertisers, but ‘Surround Sound‘ takes that ability a big step further, by empowering us to connect clients with specific audiences wherever they are across our digital portfolio.”

    Viacom Media Networks head of sales Nickelodeon Group Jim Perry said, “With ‘Surround Sound,‘ we‘re offering advertisers the sustainable, scalable ability to reach very specific consumers across every screen we program, from television to online video, premium display, mobile and even email advertising inventory.”

    ‘Surround sound‘ utilises data management platform to help identify and reach key audience segments. It leverages proprietary anonymous first-party data from Viacom as well as anonymous data from trusted industry partners and providers around demographics, behaviour, geography, and purchase propensities.

  • MTV, Adobe showcase mobile applications at 3GSM conference

    MTV, Adobe showcase mobile applications at 3GSM conference

    MUMBAI: At the 3GSM World Congress in Spain US broadcaster MTV Networks and Adobe Systems are previewing new mobile media applications featuring exclusive MTV Networks programming and leveraging Adobe Flash technology.

    The mobile media applications, available later this year, will deliver music, comedy and entertainment content from the MTV, VH1, Logo and Comedy Central brands directly to handsets that support Adobe FlashCast.

    The new FlashCast channels are the latest example of the ongoing alliance between Adobe and Viacom. Last year the two companies announced that Adobe would serve as the preferred technology provider for rich media authoring tools and interactive online video solutions for Viacom’s extensive array of television, motion picture and digital properties.

    In September, a number of new casual games based on franchises like Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants and MTV’s Pimp My Ride were published as part of the Shockwave Minis launch using Adobe’s Flash Lite technology. Additionally, several of MTV Networks’ broadband channels – including COMEDYCENTRAL.com, MTV.com, VSPOT at VH1.com, LOADED at CMT.com, LogoOnline, and TurboNick at Nick.com – have since standardised on Flash technology to deliver streaming video.

    MTV Mobile Media senior VP Greg Clayman says, “The MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and Logo FlashCast channels that we are jointly demonstrating at 3GSM are indicative of the rich experiences that can be created on the handset when the power of programming meets the power of technology. With FlashCast technology, we’re able to create innovative mobile experiences that allow our viewers to connect with the music, comedy and entertainment programming they love.”

    Adobe senior VP mobile and device solutions Al Ramadan says, “Viacom is at the forefront of defining great mobile experiences and we are excited that our partner is choosing Flash to make it happen.

    “The first results of our partnership can be seen in our booth at 3GSM demonstrating our commitment to working closely together in the future to advance the innovation of mobile experiences.”

    Adobe’s FlashCast is a client-server solution that delivers mobile data experiences. Building applications with FlashCast technology gives MTV another option to quickly and easily extend the reach of its premium programming to the handset, connecting viewers with their favorite content wherever they are. The MTV FlashCast channel, for instance, features artist interviews, features and breaking stories from MTV News, as well as news for the game community.

    The VH1 application features the Best Week Ever blog and VH1 news; the Logo channel features its popular NewNowNext blog as well as programming from the recently acquired 365 Gay, After Ellen and After Elton web sites; and the Comedy Central FlashCast application features jokes, Booty Call pick-up lines, What’s Your Sign horoscopes and more.

  • MTV Networks creates MTVN Entertainment Group for adult male audiences

    MTV Networks creates MTVN Entertainment Group for adult male audiences

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom, has announced the formal creation of the MTVN Entertainment Group, a multi-platform portfolio featuring the company’s adult- directed and male-skewing brands, including Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films, IFilm, GameTrailers.com and XFire.

    This combination of television, online, broadband, user-generated content and gaming platforms positions the MTVN Entertainment group to serve a range of adult demos and collectively deliver scale with the male 18 to 34 year old demographic, informs an official release.

    “The individual brands in the Entertainment Group have significant growth potential in their own right, but we can now position them to aggregate and deliver men and adults across all platforms and on a scale rivaling other players in our industry,” said MTVN Entertainment Group president Doug Herzog.

    “The MTVN Entertainment Group creates a portfolio of television and digital brands that can collectively deliver under-served demos through killer content like comedy, gaming, video, news and information, and some classic TV, too,” said MTV Networks Chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. “Formalizing the Entertainment Group under Doug organizes us into three focused portfolio groups and highlights our overall strategy to provide the communities that form around our brands and content with immersive, multi-platform entertainment experiences.”

    The MTVN Entertainment Group brands deliver original content across television, online, and wireless to highly targeted male and adult-focused audiences. By targeting expanded demographics across its brands, the MTVN Entertainment Group offers advertisers more ways to reach their consumers, and gives MTVN the potential to establish additional revenue streams.

  • MTV Networks and Nexon announce ‘global online’ gaming partnership

    MTV Networks and Nexon announce ‘global online’ gaming partnership

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks and international game publisher Nexon have announced a partnership to create a new user experience for MTVN’S Neopets. one of the youth communities on the internet, and includes MTVN’s marketing of the launch of Nexon’s casual MMOG game titles in North America via its portfolio of television and online brands.

    The announcement was made by MTVN kids and family group executive vice president Stephen Youngwood and Nexon Japan CEO David Lee at the GSTAR 2006 Gameshow.
    Two of the first titles to be marketed under the alliance will be Maple Story and Kart Rider .

    This new service will provide users the ability to purchase premium level virtual items for customisation and personalisation, in addition to those currently available on the site. Nexon will also provide marketing and promotional support in Asia across its games portal for the new Neopets services.

    MTVN will also become a strategic marketing partner for the launch of Nexon’s first three games to be distributed in North America. Marketing campaigns will be run across a portfolio of MTVN television and online brands including MTV, MTV2, MTV U, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, The-N, Neopets.com, Shockwave.com, Addictinggames.com, Gametrailers.com and XFire.
    “We are delighted to establish this mutually beneficial partnership with one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms and the premier media partner in North America for Nexon’s wide ranging target audience. We are confident that through the alliance, Neopets will gain strong momentum in successfully serving its users with more value added services and that Nexon will be able to rapidly expand in the North American market,” said Lee.

    Neopets senior vice president and general manager Kyra Reppen added, “We are very excited about this opportunity to further widen the creative net for Neopets. This premium level experience will provide our members with an exciting new means to enhance their personal involvement with the site and represents a significant new business opportunity for our company in Asia, where Neopets will benefit tremendously from Nexon’s creative and marketing expertise.”

  • Viacom’s 2Q revenue up 24 per cent

    Viacom’s 2Q revenue up 24 per cent

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended 30 June 2006. For the quarter, revenues and operating income increased to $2.85 billion and $663.2 million, respectively.

    Viacom executive chairman Sumner M. Redstone says, “Viacom’s solid second quarter results prove that the enduring strengths of our content and our segment leading brands continue to resonate with consumers and advertisers. We have a great foundation from which to take full advantage of the growth opportunities we see ahead by not only expanding on our traditional businesses, but also by profitably integrating new platforms with significant future growth potential.

    “Equally important, Tom Freston and the Viacom management team have an unmatched track record of repeatedly and successfully leveraging emerging technologies, which gives us great confidence that we can continue to outperform the competition in this rapidly changing environment.”

    The acquisition of DreamWorks and the commencement of distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and DreamWorks live-action library filmscontributed $345.1 million or 63% of the reported growth versus last year. The cable networks segment revenues increased 8% to $1.75 billion, with domestic ad revenues was up 10 per cent to $969.1 million, and affiliate fees up 11% to $501.8 million. Entertainment revenues were up a reported $418.4 million in the quarter principally attributable to DreamWorks.

    The company reaffirms its full year guidance to deliver double digit revenue and operating income growth compared to 2005 revenues of $9.61 billion

    In the cable network segment, affiliate revenue growth was driven by rate and subscriber increases as well as new channel launches in international markets. Ancillary revenues were relatively flat as increases attributable to syndication were substantially offset by decreases of Comedy Central home video sales, which benefited in 2005 from the release of The Chappelle Show.

    Domestic revenues increased by nine per cent in the quarter with advertising revenues up 10 per cent (compared to a six per cent increase in the first quarter of 2006). International revenues were up four per cent in the quarter including $5.8 million in incremental revenues related to a UK acquisition. International advertising revenues declined 2% (compared to a 13% decline in the first quarter of 2006) or $2.1 million, driven principally by continued softness in Germany and the UK.

    Affiliate revenues were up 13% internationally driven by the UK acquisition and new channel launches. International ancillary revenues increased. The increase in operating expenses in the cable networks segment reflects an aggregate eight per cent increase in programming and production costs on shows such as The Colbert Report, The Daily Show at Comedy Central, and VH1 Rock Honours. This was partially offset by the non-renewal of the WWE package at Spike TV, The Chappelle Show, and the one time special VH1’s Save the Music.

    Television license fees increased $207.3 million including increases in DreamWorks related distribution revenues of $108.9 million. In addition total international revenues were higher due to the number and mix of available titles which included SpongeBob SquarePants, Without a Paddle and The Manchurian Candidate.

    Movie revenues increased $168.7 million in the second quarter principally as a result of revenues related to the distribution of DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge. In addition, international theatrical revenues benefitted from the release of Mission: Impossible III and Failure to Launch in comparison to War of the Worlds and Sahara in theaters during 2005.

    The increase in ancillary revenues of $32.9 million was principally driven by studio rental income as well as increased music royalties earned by Famous Music. On a geographic basis, domestic revenues increased $190.5 million or 39 per cent substantially all of which is attributable to DreamWorks, offset by lower theatrical and home entertainment revenue for Paramount titles.

    International revenues increased $227.9 million, or 106 per cent driven principally by theatrical and television revenues. Higher international theatrical revenues, principally driven by Mission: Impossible III and Failure to Launch contributed an incremental $110.2 million of revenue as compared to titles in release in 2005 which included War of the Worlds and Sahara.

    International television revenues, which increased $121.5 million, benefited from additional mix of such titles as Manchurian Candidate and SpongeBob SquarePants as well as titles distributed for DreamWorks such as Shark Tale and Meet the Fockers. Home entertainment revenues declined by sevent per cent, or $8.4 million internationally due to weaker international performance of recently released titles as compared against SpongeBob SquarePants and Team America in the prior year.

  • Viacom, Adobe forge alliance to deliver web, mobile content

    Viacom, Adobe forge alliance to deliver web, mobile content

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom and Adobe Systems have announced a strategic alliance to develop and deliver Viacom’s branded content using the Adobe Engagement Platform.

    Through this agreement, Adobe will become Viacom’s preferred technology provider for rich media authoring tools and interactive online video solutions. This will enable Viacom to deliver content from its television, motion picture and digital properties to online and mobile audiences in compelling ways. The two companies will also work together in developing new media applications leveraging Viacom’s exclusive content and using Adobe’s next-generation developer tools and ubiquitous cross-platform client software.

    The Adobe Engagement Platform is a versatile foundation for capturing and holding audiences’ attention through more active and effective applications and media. Through the combined reach of the Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash Player clients, which are installed on more than 600 million connected PCs and devices worldwide, the Platform enables businesses to connect with customers, no matter which medium they choose.

    Viacom president and CEO Tom Freston says, “This partnership with Adobe is an important step towards ensuring that our company has the most robust and state of the art online and mobile video applications. We are very excited to be working so closely with Adobe, which is a real innovator with a great track record”.

    Viacom will utilise Flash video as an interactive online video solution and provide Viacom-branded content to mobile phone handsets via FlashCast™ channels. Flash video delivers secure, high-quality seamless video experiences. FlashCast is a flexible client-server solution that effectively delivers rich, intuitive branded experiences on mobile devices. Using Adobe technology, Viacom will also develop entirely new applications leveraging content from Viacom properties including MTV, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon.

    Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen says, “Adobe and Viacom share a vision for how to bring Viacom’s world-class programming and content to online and mobile audiences in innovative ways. This relationship and the Adobe Engagement Platform will accelerate Viacom’s ability to create and deliver new kinds of digital entertainment across different mediums, regardless of which operating system, browser or device viewers are using. Our Engagement Platform is continuing to gain momentum as a powerful means of reaching and connecting with consumers on their terms, anytime, anyplace.”