Turner Launches Campaign To Promote NBA's Digital Assets
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Turner Using New Ads To Help
Boost Viewership For NBA TV |
Turner Sports this week, as part of its new deal with the NBA, is launching a "multimillion-dollar rebranding campaign to raise the profile of the NBA's digital assets," according to Ourand & Lombardo of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Turner will debut ads under the tagline, "The Game Happens Here," in an effort to "boost audiences for NBA TV, NBA.com and NBA League Pass." A "central part of the effort will be the relaunch of NBA TV" on the first night of the regular season, October 28, at 5:00pm ET. The net will unveil a "new on-screen look, featuring new sets and graphics, and its new schedule will devote much more time to live studio programming, which will use" TNT talent including Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Tuesday nights "will be 'Fan Nights,' during which fans get to vote on which game NBA TV will cover," and Turner is "hoping to develop themes for two other nights." Turner Sports Senior VP/Marketing & Programming Jennifer Storms: "We need to make NBA TV a primary destination. We need to make sure that fans go to NBA TV on certain nights and at certain times." Ourand & Lombardo note the "centerpiece of Turner's 'The Game Happens Here' message is that the NBA's digital assets cover every aspect of the NBA." The message is "embodied in a 60-second TV commercial that shows the highs and lows of last season" for Celtics F Kevin Garnett. The spot "weaves Garnett’s on-camera quotes, beginning with training camp and continuing to after his Celtics team won a championship" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/6 issue). Storms said that the campaign "will run for two to four weeks." NBA TV is in just 15 million homes, and Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson said, "They're facing some challenges in terms of distribution, and what you do is you try to get more promotion, you try to get more programming, so you can bring some pressure on the cable system to clear the channel" (TV WEEK, 10/6 issue).
EARNING HIS STRIPES: In Boston, Marc Spears reported Garnett, in addition to the NBA TV ad which "ends with his interview after winning the NBA championship," also appears in an adidas Web ad alongside Spurs F Tim Duncan, Pistons G Chauncey Billups, Rockets G Tracy McGrady, Magic C Dwight Howard, Hawks F Josh Smith, Lakers G Jordan Farmar and T'Wolves G Sebastian Telfair (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/5).
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