Firms Form DTV Kits

D4, Gold Create Turnkey Acquisition Campaigns

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 5/3/2008 6:20:00 AM

An East Coast branding and direct-response agency and a West Coast public-relations firm have joined forces to create turnkey acquisition campaigns for cable operators tied to the digital transition.

D4 Creative Group of Philadelphia and Bob Gold & Associates of Torrance, Calif., will offer scalable support to small providers and large multiple-system operators. There will be two versions of creative content, both playing off the nickname for antennas: rabbit ears.

D4 president and chief creative officer Kurt Shore said the campaigns will include creative for media ranging from billboards to TV to radio. Operators will be able to pick and choose the ready-made pitches for media that works best in local markets. Research indicates that certain demographic groups, such as Hispanics and senior citizens, will be among those most likely to change their technology to receive TV after the transition, so the messaging is designed to reach those segments, Shore said.

By purchasing the turnkey campaigns, local systems avoid issues related to designing an ad effort on their own, such as negotiating for music rights, said the PR firm's president, Bob Gold. The companies will also negotiate with potential retail partners on operators' behalf, he added.

The partners will recommend that operators who utilize the campaign include an offer, such as a reduced price point on some level of service. Participating systems will decide on the discount and which services it covers.

The campaign elements are available at D4's online store However, the partners anticipate that operators won't ramp up their digital-transition campaigns until the fourth quarter of this year.