New WB Campaign: watch our show online, then come back to watch ads on TV

Filed in archive IPTV on September 8, 2005

In an environment where 150 shows will premier in the next couple of weeks, how does one break away from the clutter and get noticed? If you are the WB, you show it on the Internet -- ad free!

To lure consumers to its new show, called Supernatural, the WB network has done a deal with Yahoo! to make the entire first episode available online 7 days before the show's Sept. 13 television debut. The 40-minute long episode will be streamed from the Yahoo TV section if you want to watch it.

Expect Yahoo! to promote Supernatural with prominent video ads. The Web pages for Supernatural will also be enriched with interviews with cast members, a slide show, a trailer, pilot, information about the show and links to the program's official Web site.

Asked if he thought the online showing would dilute interest in the premier on TV, Garth Ancier, chairman of the WB, said, "I think the nature of streaming is such that generally it's more for awareness than actual viewing. There will be some people who will watch it on their small PC screen, but the majority of people will [just] sample it."