Showcase knows a good thing when it sees one and is building on its successful ‘Thanks, Showcase’ campaign because of it. New this time around is the ability for consumers to share cheeky ads via downloads on showcase.ca beginning next week, an expanded national campaign including new markets such as Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Halifax (in addition to Toronto and Vancouver) – and even a campaign directly targeted to the media buyer.

‘We’re building off the consumer strategy and playing off it,’ explains the newly minted Jennifer Hurlbut, VP, marketing and publicity, dramatic networks at Alliance Atlantis. ‘What’s new with the trade aspect is our interest in increasing the profile of the Showcase demo. There is a broad demo appeal here and it’s not a young, male demo.’

Hurlbut says the trade element’s objective is to shift perceptions. ‘We want [buyers] to know that our viewers are big consumers and that they’re varied – they could be the soccer moms or the Bay St. dads.’

The trade element features ads with the same tongue-in-cheek treatment as the consumer campaign. Hurlbut says that these are more concentrated in Toronto, where many of the agencies reside.

‘So they’re in the Zoom network where they’re in washrooms or on the Captivate elevator network,’ she says.

The consumer element consists of nine 30-second TV spots already on rotation, plus national OOH and print ads. And in a bid to up interactivity, TV spots can be downloaded to iPods from showcase.ca, and the net made sure to reach their tech-savvy viewers via buys on youtube.com, ifilm.com, zippyvideos.com and clipshack.com.

Media buys were done in-house.