The N's All-New Reality Series 'Queen Bees' to Feature iTV Voting and
Polling Sponsored by Sour Patch Kids Exclusively in DISH Network Homes
Nationwide
NEW YORK, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its efforts to reinvent
the way audiences experience content and advertising, MTV Networks (MTVN),
a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is partnering with Cadbury, the makers
of Sour Patch(R) Kids soft & chewy candy, and DISH Network Corporation
(Nasdaq: DISH) to launch its first-ever advertiser-supported interactive
television campaign.
iTV voting and polling presented by Cadbury's Sour Patch Kids will be
enabled during The N's all-new reality series, "Queen Bees," which
premieres Friday, July 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The campaign will be
available exclusively in DISH Network(R) homes nationwide.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080707/NYM020 )
"We're working hard to reinvent commercial time as content time, and
interactive television is emerging as a strong tool for fostering
engagement with our audiences, while providing greater accountability to
marketers," said Hank Close, President, U.S. Ad Sales, MTVN. "This
partnership signals that we're open for business in iTV advertising, and
we're excited to step into the marketplace with great partners like DISH
Network and Cadbury."
"By participating in this exciting and innovative opportunity, we're
taking our Sour Patch brand advertising to the next level," said Sebastian
Genesio, Sour Patch marketing director. "The content on Queen Bees is a
natural fit for Sour Patch and reinforces the brand's sour then sweet brand
equity in a target-right medium."
The "Queen Bees" campaign will give audiences the unique opportunity to
interact directly with television content during show time. Throughout the
show, viewers will be prompted with three different sets of questions and
results on the bottom third of their screens: "Fill in the Blank," "Sour or
Sweet" and "Star Chart Play Along." The questions will be presented before
commercial breaks and the voting results will appear immediately following
the commercial break, encouraging viewer retention throughout the pod. Sour
Patch Kids' branding will be incorporated throughout the iTV application.
Additionally, The N will weave Sour Patch Kids' product attributes into one
question each episode.
"Our audiences really respond to iTV and we've been out in front with
our distribution partners, putting our brands behind advancing this
emerging technology," said Denise Dahldorf, Executive Vice President,
Content Distribution and Marketing, MTVN. "DISH Network has been an
industry leader in iTV, and this partnership brings the power of our
programming to their innovative platform."
"For more than seven years, DISH Network has been a leader in iTV and
we are excited to continue our innovative work with MTV Networks and
Cadbury to build the next platform of interactivity between audience,
programmer and marketer," said Michael Kelly, Executive Vice President for
DISH Network. "'Queen Bees' unique application creates a new level of
connectivity which compliments the programming, pleases the viewer and
provides valuable data for the client."
"Queen Bees" is an ideal program for iTV, as 72 percent of reality TV
watchers demand content interaction, according to a Harris Interactive
study from February 2008. The eight-episode series takes a look at seven
self- centered, narcissistic "mean girls," who have been nominated by
family and friends in the hopes that they will better themselves from the
inside out. While the girls think they are competing to be the biggest diva
in the house, they quickly learn that they are there because people want
them to change.
The "Queen Bees" campaign furthers MTVN's leadership in interactive
television. When the company first started iTV polling in September 2006 on
The N's "Degrassi: The Next Generation," there was a 30 to 40 percent
viewer participation rate, well above the industry average of 10 to 15
percent. Spike TV's 5th Annual "Video Game Awards" received a 20 percent
increase in ratings when the program introduced iTV polling in December
2007. There was a 25 to 30 percent participation rate for the awards show
and viewers spent an average of 30 minutes with the application.
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and
operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC
TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV
LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, LOGO, NOGGIN, THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL
and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services,
all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects
with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its
more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online,
broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has
licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of
its programming services can be seen worldwide.
About Cadbury North America
Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, Cadbury North America is the
Canadian and U.S. combined business unit of Cadbury plc -- the world's top
confectionery company (and the only confectionery company with market
leading positions around the world in chewing gum, candy and chocolate
categories).
In the United States, the brand portfolio of Cadbury includes some of
the best-loved confections in the US, including Trident(R), Dentyne(R),
Halls(R), Bubblicious(R), Sour Patch(R), Swedish Fish(R), Chiclets(R),
Certs(R) and Stride(R), The Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum(R) and Green &
Black's(R) organic chocolate. In the U.S., some Cadbury "firsts" include
the first vanilla pellet gum (Dentyne Ice(R) Vanilla Chill(R)), sugar free
pellets with two contrasting flavors in every pack (Trident Strawberry
fusion flavor), easy close envelope packaging, and the first center-filled
pellet gum (Trident Splash(R)). Trident (R)Tropical Twist(R) was one of the
first fruit flavored gums to lead the gum category. Green & Black's organic
chocolate is one of the best selling chocolates in the natural food
channel. Our people create brands people love with passion, dedication and
drive
About DISH Network Corporation
DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH), the nation's third largest
pay-TV provider and the leader in digital television, provides more than
13.815 million satellite TV customers with industry-leading customer
satisfaction which has surpassed major cable TV providers for eight
consecutive years. DISH Network also provides customers with award-winning
HD and DVR technology including the ViP722(TM) HD DVR, which received the
Editors' Choice awards from both CNET and PC Magazine. In addition,
subscribers enjoy access to hundreds of video and audio channels, the most
International channels in the U.S., industry-leading Interactive TV
applications, Latino programming, and the best sports and movies in HD.
DISH Network offers a variety of package and price options including the
lowest all-digital price in America, the DishDVR Advantage Package,
high-speed Internet service, and a free upgrade to the best HD DVR in the
industry. DISH Network is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a
Fortune 300 company. Visit http://www.dishnetwork.com/aboutus or call
1-800-333-DISH (3474) for more information.
SOURCE MTV Networks
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Related links:
http://www.mtv.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080707/NYM020
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org AP PhotoExpress
Network: PRN4 PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Mark Jafar, of MTV Networks, +1-212-846-8961,
mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com; or Parker McConachie, of DISH Network,
+1-303-514-5351, press@echostar.com
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