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FX Creates Movie Web site

Jul 8, 2007  •  Post A Comment

Looking to connect advertisers with viewers of its movies, cable channel FX is creating a movie club Web site that will offer visitors extra content and the chance to win prizes.
The FX Web site, HubFX, is expected to launch as a beta site with one sponsor in August and September. If all goes well, a full rollout would follow in January.
HubFX is the latest step in the TV networks’ campaign to demonstrate to marketers how effective television advertising is. It’s also a new tactic in the battle to keep viewers tuned in during commercial breaks. That has become more important to networks because most of next season’s ad sales are being based on ratings for the commercials in shows, rather than the ratings for the shows themselves.
FX, the No. 13 ad-supported cable network in total prime-time viewers, may be best known for popular original series such as “Rescue Me” and “Nip/Tuck,” but most of its schedule is movies.
“What we’re trying to do here is really pay off our movies and create a HubFX club that will connect advertisers to our movies and then deliver to our viewers some really special sponsor incentives,” said Michael Brochstein, senior VP, national ad sales at FX.
FX has presented the idea directly to some sponsors and to some agencies that might have multiple clients that might be interested in being the four monthly sponsors of the club.
Mr. Brochstein said the idea was to drive viewers from the FX movies to the offers on the site. Just before commercial breaks in movies such as “Spider-Man 2,” FX will run promos that show a recent scene from the film. The scene will freeze on a single frame, which then will shrink and be surrounded by a sponsor message urging the viewer to go to HubFX.com for a special offer.
During films, FX plans to run trivia questions (and a sponsor logo) in the lower third of the screen. Those questions will be repeated, and hints and answers may be given during promos in the middle of commercial breaks. Viewers will be able to register and answer those questions online and win prizes.
On the site, the sponsors will get prominent displays that take viewers to their own HubFX pages. Those will host features that could range from electronic coupons, giveaways, contests, movie trailers and video game previews to exclusive content from the sponsors.
Auto companies and fashion companies have a lot of content that never sees the light of day, Mr. Brochstein said.
“Now we’re giving them the opportunity on HubFX to put it in front of people who are really interested in seeing it,” he said.
Because the promotion involves a Web site, “instead of something that’s wrapped up nice and pretty, we’ll be able to demonstrate how it’s connecting and really quantify the metrics behind this,” Mr. Brochstein said. “We’re learning how TV and online work together. Nobody has this thing mastered yet.”
Mr. Brochstein declined to say how much FX planned to charge sponsors to participate in HubFX. The promo time for HubFX will come out of the network’s current promotional allotment.
“We’re not looking to clutter up our air,” he said.
While the Web site is designed to engage movie viewers with the network and its sponsors, the HubFX program also should help the network’s commercial ratings.
“Obviously commercial ratings and keeping people involved and keeping them tuned in to your air is one of the more important things. We think it can serve a couple of purposes,” Mr. Brochstein said.
Last month, ABC Family instituted a rewards program as part of its viewer retention effort. The network will be asking nightly trivia questions about the network’s programming and commercials. Viewers can win prizes by answering the questions on ABCFamily.com.

25 Comments

  1. this sounds like a good thing. I love to watch movies and since I’m disabled tha’ts all I really have to do. It’s moveis and the internet. So thanks for doing this.

  2. Sounds like a good idea. I am disabled and love to watch a good movie and play on the net. So thanks…have a great week.

  3. I would like to know the name of the artist (and the title of the song) who is singing in the FX commercial featuring Dennis Leary on fire and the
    actor from “The Shield” punching holes in the wall.
    This commercial aired at the beginning of the year. Thanks.

  4. if every editor wrote like you believe me the world would be a better place! this was an excellent read expecting more!

  5. Thank you for a great post

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