Blowing Its Own Horn
NEW YORK CITY A&E Network has commissioned a fleet of vintage tall ships to stage mock sea battles as part of an extensive campaign to promote Horatio Hornblower, a quartet of films that the network is calling its “major event” of 1999. The films premiere on consecutive Sundays this month.
The grand scale of the programming effort, which retells C.S. Forester’s classic sea adventure over four stand-alone films, cried out for a promotional program of similar size, says Michael Mohamad, A&E’s vp-consumer and on-air marketing. “We really needed to put some dollars behind this thing.”
The ships will dock in the harbors of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in late March and early April, where they will serve as centerpieces for day-long activities including costumed demonstrations of seafaring activities, on-board tours, and premium giveaways. Events will culminate in a mock battle staged off-shore.
Each event will have local radio and cable affiliate overlays, and “we’re inviting mayors and a lot of VIPs,” says Mohamad. “This is an event to drive awareness for the films, but also to entertain our advertisers, affiliates, and viewers.”
In keeping with its literary programming strategy, A&E and New York City-based agency Promotion Development Group brought some high-brow help on board. The National Heritage Society was conscripted to recruit the ships.
Montreal-based entertainment software developer Strategy First will partner in the events to promote Man of War II, a game depicting 19th century sea battles whose scheduled release was postponed to coincide with the film broadcasts.
Strategy First is supplying much of the on-site giveaways, and is running a Cast Off For Adventure sweeps in 5,000 retail outlets offering three Windjammer cruises to the Caribbean. The software rolled out last month with on-pack bursts touting the broadcast premiere and coupon inserts toward purchase of the video that will be released in May.
Windjammer has supplied a total of 45 cruises that will be used in sweeps run by A&E’s network affiliates and consumer radio promos. In exchange, the company receives commercial time and logo placement on collateral.
The American Library Association will help with a program to offer bookmarks, posters, counter cards, and CD-ROMs with commercials and game demos to 15,000 public, high school, and college libraries. Invitations to participate were mailed as – what else – a message in a bottle. Five libraries will win $1,000 for setting up creative displays showcasing Forester’s work and other period books.
TV spots on A&E, sister net The History Channel, and other broadcast and cable stations will support.
