National Geographic Channel is partnering with Comcast for a "Best of Nat Geo In HD" week that will include a multimedia campaign designed to promote both NGC HD and the MSO's HD offerings.
"The main offer that Comcast is going out with during this promotion is their triple play with free HD offering," National Geographic Channel director of affiliate marketing Casey Schick said in an interview. "If you get broadband, voice and cable, you get free HD along with it."
The Best of Nat Geo In HD stunt comprises 15 hours of original programming that will air July 6 to 10 on the channel's HD simulcast, NGC HD. The multimedia campaign, which has both local and national components, will run begin earlier and run from June 29 to July 10.
"For the last five years, the 'Beta Research Brand Identity Study' found that the National Geographic Channel was network that viewers most want to see in HD for five years running, which made us a perfect partner for the promotion," Schick said.
The promotion includes national and local components that involve linear TV, VOD and online media, as well as events at Best Buy retail stores.
On the linear channel, the Best of Nat Geo in HD will feature 15 hours of original programming over five nights between July 6 and 10. The weeklong stunt will include premiers of Hooked: Monster Fish of Mongolia and Naked Science: Tsunami From Outer Space, as well as original episodes from Explorer,Dog Whisperer and Lockdown.
Cross-channel spots promoting the programming and Comcast's HD triple play will run in Philadelphia, D.C. Boston and Detroit between June 29 and July 10. There will also be paid media campaigns in cinemas for three of the local markets--Philly, D.C. and Boston--as well as a digital media buy on Facebook targeting Philly, D.C., Boston and Detroit.
In the four local markets, the partners are planning in-store events and promotions in 15 Best Buy stories leading up to the HD week, Schick adds. During those events Comcast employees will be in the store to activate new accounts and customers can have their picture taken against a "green screen" that allows them to be digitally inserted into a spectacular HD environment.
Nationally, there will be email blasts to customers promoting the HD upgrades. "All the electronic communications will ultimately direct people to a micro-site that we are creating where they can see the Comcast offers and learn more about the Best of HD week," Schick said. "The coolest part of the micro-site is an HD demo where we show the attributes of HD. It really shows why they should upgrade to HD service on Comcast and why Nat Geo is the perfect channel for their HD viewing."
