CMT PRESENTS THE ABC’S OF PARENTING IN A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN FOR ITS HIT SERIES “WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS”
10/15/09
CMT and iVillage Partner to Maximize Online Presence
NASHVILLE – October 15, 2009 – CMT targets moms and families with the launch of a brand new digital community in support of its hit series, WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS. The cornerstone of the campaign, www.CMTworldsstrictestparents.com, takes a lighthearted approach on the serious subject matter of parenting teens, based on the “ABC’s of Parenting” concept created for the series’ promotional campaign this fall. CMTworldsstrictestparents.com includes a variety of social networking components, along with opportunities to interact with other parents and seek out “strict” parents’ advice on themed discussions each week.
CMT has partnered with iVillage, the largest community of women online, to maximize its online presence. Joining forces for the first time, the partnership will provide opportunities for both CMT and iVillage to cross-promote content on their targeted communities. iVillage, which reaches 2.7 million female users monthly according to Comscore Media Matrix, will host weekly polls from the CMT microsite and will be featured on CMTworldsstrictestparents.com.
The interactive marketing strategy was based on feedback CMT received from a recent online panel of more than 700 viewers, CMT Soundboard. The panel allowed fans to shape the development and marketing of WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS. Among the key findings, CMT learned the show appeals to viewers because of its emphasis on family values and tough-love approach and helped open discussions between parents and teens.
“CMT viewers really connect to the traditional values of this show, and a large number of people watch the show with their children and use it as a conversation-starter,” said Dee Mc Laughlin, SVP of Brand Marketing, CMT. “We wanted to open up that conversation among parents, but we also knew we couldn’t take ourselves too seriously. We think this campaign did a great job capturing the heart of the series, while maintaining our viewers’ sense of humor.”
The microsite puts a fun spin on the subject matter of parenting, offering clever parent survival advice. Each week the site will offer tips and content which thematically match the network’s on-air and online promotional campaign, kicking off with the first “ABC” of parenting: D is for discipline; it is not for disobedience, disrespect or denial.
CMTworldsstrictestparents.com includes shareable applications such as e-cards, mad-lib letters, parenting form letters and "How strict are you?" parenting quizzes that were built specifically for promotion and activation within Facebook. Fans can participate in weekly polls and contests for prizes, including the grand sweepstakes prize of $20,000. As featured in the newest episode of WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS, the Bolton family will lead weekly discussions and offer parenting advice to other parents.
The campaign will have a fully integrated promotional presence across CMT and its digital properties, including weekly parenting tweets disseminated @FollowCMT on Twitter. Beginning October 15, national ads will appear in print, television and radio. CMT will also work with its radio affiliates to support the microsite in such key markets as Portland, Tampa and Pittsburgh identified to have strong viewership for the series. LeadDog Marketing serves as the strategic execution and promotional partner for the effort, marking its first partnership with CMT.
WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS debuted on CMT earlier this year, and returned with all new episodes October 10. The series has performed particularly well with women, averaging +52% above CMT’s primetime this year.
Each one-hour episode of WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS documents the journey of two unruly teens from different families as they are forced to adapt to the rules and regulations of very strict host parents. Living under different standards from their families back home, the misbehaving teens are subject to consequences for breaking rules and skipping chores while the strict parents attempt to mend their ways. This fall, one family will teach their “adopted” teens to either shape up their attitude, or get in shape using push-ups as punishment. WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS airs Saturdays at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CMT.
Visit CMT's press-only Web site www.cmtpress.com for more information.
CMT, a unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 88 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.
LeadDog Marketing Group, Inc. is a 9-year old, 80+ person turnkey marketing solutions agency headquartered in New York City with satellite offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Boulder and Orange County. Named a Promo 100 Agency for five consecutive years and winner of two Telly Awards, three EX Awards, three Promax awards, two ISES Big Apple Awards and six FAME Awards, LeadDog emphasizes the power of an idea, and specializes in brand, cause, sports and media/entertainment properties. Marquee clients include NASCAR; ABC Television; O, The Oprah Magazine; Madison Square Garden Network; Better Homes and Gardens; the USTA; World Wrestling Entertainment; Nautica Fragrance; Glacéau vitaminwater; GoodBelly probiotic fruit drink; AARP The Magazine; Cognizant; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. LeadDog has a proven track record in the creation, development and management of award-winning national and international brand initiatives, and has deep capabilities ranging from brand promotion, strategy and activation, live events, sports marketing, experiential marketing, public relations, website design, green marketing and sweepstakes management. For more information, please visit www.leaddogmarketing.com.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Lisa Chader 615-335-8405 lisa.chader@cmt.com
