Global goes guerilla to promo fall

If you're a subway commuter, prepare to see a lot more of Global this fall. As part of Global's fall programming promo push, viewers in the Toronto and Vancouver markets will be inundated by creative touting new shows Prison Break, Apprentice: Martha Stewart, E-Ring, and Bones on their way to work. The net is using unusual media executions to amp up the buzz factor including subway domination and street teams complete with TVs on their heads.

'We want to increase the buzz around the shows and the way we're trying to do that is to get people talking about the ads which, in turn, should bring buzz around the shows,' says Walter Levitt, SVP of marketing. The net bought a lot of media. Along with traditional routes such as radio, print and on-air promos, Global has cut a 60-second trailer to promo new series Prison Break. That trailer is currently running in theatres across Canada and is heavily positioning the show much like a feature movie, complete with movie posters.
By Pia Musngi
August 25, 2005

If you’re a subway commuter, prepare to see a lot more of Global this fall. As part of Global’s fall programming promo push, viewers in the Toronto and Vancouver markets will be inundated by creative touting new shows Prison Break, Apprentice: Martha Stewart, E-Ring, and Bones on their way to work. The net is using unusual media executions to amp up the buzz factor including subway domination and street teams complete with TVs on their heads.

‘We want to increase the buzz around the shows and the way we’re trying to do that is to get people talking about the ads which, in turn, should bring buzz around the shows,’ says Walter Levitt, SVP of marketing. The net bought a lot of media. Along with traditional routes such as radio, print and on-air promos, Global has cut a 60-second trailer to promo new series Prison Break. That trailer is currently running in theatres across Canada and is heavily positioning the show much like a feature movie, complete with movie posters.

In its subway domination part of the campaign, all poster ad faces within Toronto subway stations Yonge and Bloor, Union and St. George stations will be completely outfitted in Global ads. The creative will be changed daily to reflect that night’s shows so that Monday night programs will be reflected in subway ads on Monday with new creative going up for Tuesday and so on.

Levitt explains that the first phase of the subway domination will begin next week – just in time for the pilot airing of Prison Break. The second phase is slated to hit in the second week of September when all other new shows will premiere. The thinking behind the campaign is that most people make their TV watching decisions on their way to and from work, says Levitt.

In addition to the to-be-changed-daily subway ads, commuter tunnels along the streets of York, Bay and Yonge streets in Toronto will be sporting the net’s creative. A superboard on the Gardiner Expressway will also see day-to-day ad changes. Out-of-home executions for the Vancouver area are yet to be finalized.

And if they don’t catch you on the road or in the subway tunnels, look out for the Pixmen – six-person street teams in both Vancouver and Toronto – each outfitted with TV screens above their heads. The Pixmen will be outfitted in Global-branded prison garb to promo, you guessed it, Prison Break. The TVs will loop trailers of upcoming shows. The Pixmen will make their debut this weekend at high-traffic events such as the CNE and outside Blue Jay games in Toronto.

All creative and media buys were handled in-house.