Starz Using ‘Crash’ Promo Push to Sell Network, Too

By Jon Lafayette

If you call your local cable operator and ask the customer service representative about the new series “Crash,” there’s a good chance they’ll not only know it’s on Starz, but will be able to give you their review.

CRAWLING FROM THE WRECKAGE Dennis Hopper is in the cast of new series "Crash," a Starz original production based on the Oscar-winning 2004 film.

Starz Encore is sending out more than 100,000 DVD copies of the first episode of its original drama to the people who deal with customers at its cable and satellite affiliates to ensure that curious viewers will be signed up for service.

“Crash,” a high-profile series based on the Academy Award-winning movie, is Starz’s first entry into the world of scripted dramatic series. The premium movie channel will be pulling out all the marketing stops to make sure both subscribers and non-subscribers have a chance to tune in when it launches Oct. 17.

“We think it’s a great opportunity to not only build loyalty with our current subscribers, but really a great new reason for consumers to take a look at Starz if they don’t currently subscribe,” said Kelly Bumann, VP for branding and marketing communications at Starz. “Giving them something unique and exclusive that’s only on Starz is really the reason that we entered into the original business in a bigger way.”

With 16.8 million subscribers, Starz has fewer subscribers than Encore (31.4 million) or HBO (29 million) and more than Showtime (15.6 million) or Cinemax (11.9 million).

But Starz gets little of the buzz that accompanies original programming on rival premium services HBO and Showtime.

Earlier this year Starz launched a pair of original comedies, “Head Case” and “Hollywood Residential.” It ordered a 10-episode second season of “Head Case” in May.

Starz has been stoking its publicity machine to make sure the channel’s programming is written about and reviewed in newspapers the way its rivals’ shows are. It held a session for TV critics and reporters at the recent Television Critics Association summer press tour in Los Angeles.

“This is an opportunity for people to take another look at Starz that may not be aware of Starz,” Ms. Bumann said. “And I think the fact that people will be writing about this because it is a new series is a nice throwback to help the brand recognition as well.”

The network launched a rebranding campaign in April and expects the campaign for “Crash” to reinforce that, because of the series’ connection to the well-known movie title.

“The fact that we’re launching with ‘Crash,’ which is based on the film, is really the perfect original drama to launch with for us,” Ms. Bumann said. “It makes a lot of sense to our consumers and a lot of the reaction we’ve gotten doing research is ‘go for it.’ There’s not an issue with consumers to not think of Starz as providing original series. The more the better for them.”

A big part of Starz’s effort to get people familiar with the series is getting viewers to watch it through free previews online and on-demand.

“I think that it’s important to broaden our base beyond the current base of people that see Starz today,” Ms. Bumann said.

Starz has been meeting with cable operator and satellite affiliates since the beginning of the year to get them on board with the marketing effort, said Debbie Egner, senior VP for affiliate sales and support.

Affiliates will be able to put the first two episodes on their Web sites and on-demand services for a two-week exclusive window prior to the series launch. (The episodes also will be appearing on Starz.com.)

“It’s really an opportunity for them to deliver it to their consumers so that they can get excited about the episodes, get excited about the series, and then tune in and watch if they have it, or upgrade if they don’t have it,” Ms. Bumann said. “We’ve got marketing material to promote those sneak peeks as well as it’s baked into our campaign during the fall time period, along with our movies.

After the exclusive period, Starz will make episode one available through a variety of Web sites.
The Internet offers Starz “a great opportunity to not only make people aware that ‘Crash’ exists only on Starz, but also to click them through to that streamed episode,” Ms. Bumann said. The episodes will be placed on entertainment sites, social networking sites, news and opinion sites and diversity sites, as well as portals.

Some sites may have to take into consideration the fact that the show is rated TV-MA before streaming it.

Starz also will be uncorking a multimillion-dollar multimedia integrated ad campaign to support the show.

“On the television side, we’re really looking at the theatrical model of a big burst up to the premiere,” Ms. Bumann said. “The plan calls for a combination of national cable, broadcast and local cable targeting key markets.”

Print ads will run in entertainment-oriented magazines, plus some news publications.

“We believe this is a show that people will talk about. It addresses some pretty serious issues head-on,” she said.

Outdoor ads will be used to build awareness in 10 markets, including New York and L.A., where big displays are planned.

If the campaign persuades non-subscribers to call or click to sign up to see “Crash,” Starz is making sure there’s a special offer available to seal the deal.

“If people don’t have Starz today, we’re going to give them a nice little incentive to use this as the occasion to sign up,” Kelly said.

One of the incentives brewing is a partnership with Best Buy to give new subscribers a rebate in the form of a $50 gift card.