Six Week Integrated Partnership Leverages Both Brands On-air, On-line and On-site in Over 200 Cross Store Locations
New York, NY, July 23, 2007 – Heading into AMC's highly anticipated premiere of their first original drama series, Mad Men, the network announced today they are teaming up with The A. T. Cross Company, a major international manufacturer of fine writing instruments, timepieces, and personal accessories, for an innovative, integrated partnership. The initiative leverages Cross pen and Mad Men to raise awareness for both brands throughout August to include brand presence on-air, on-line, and on-site in over 200 store locations nationwide where Cross pens are sold. To further support the series, AMC has created several additional unique and cross-platform partnerships. Within the cable industry, AMC teamed up with MSO's to offer Mad Men on Demand and on broadband with outtakes interviews with the cast and crew and behind the scenes snippets. Within the advertising community, AMC signed on with Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey as a new advertiser on the network integrating the iconic brand into the series.
Created by the Emmy Award-winning executive producer and writer of "The Sopranos" Matthew Weiner, Mad Men is a provocative new primetime drama, set in 1960 New York, about the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising. The 13-episode, one-hour original program premieres on AMC Thursday, July 19 at 10 PM/9C.
"This series offers a unique opportunity to showcase iconic brands like Cross in a compelling, entertainment environment," said Linda Schupack, AMC's SVP of Marketing. "The partnership with Cross provides AMC with the opportunity to build awareness for Mad Men throughout their extensive network of stores."
As part of the cross-promotional campaign, authentic Cross pens were used on-set and will be featured via product placement in episodes throughout the series. AMC will also feature the Cross pen on-air with a customized Mad Men vignette and will be featured online at amctv.com in a separate photo gallery section that features art from the series, addressing authenticity of the time the series takes place in, 1960. Cross will be featured in several of these photos and will also have brand presence in this section. In exchange, AMC and Cross have created a Mad Men poster featuring a character from the series using the pen with the tagline, "Our classic signature pen…A new signature series." The poster will be displayed in over 200 retail outlets nationwide where Cross pens are sold.
MAD MEN is a provocative new primetime drama about how to sell the truth. Set in 1960 New York, the daring new series is about the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell while their private world gets sold. It depicts the sexual exploits and social mores of this most innovative yet ruthless profession while taking an unflinching look at the ad men who shaped the hopes and dreams of Americans on a daily basis. The 13-episode, one-hour original program produced by Lionsgate premieres Thursday, July 19 at 10 PM/9C.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE tv and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 91,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards, and three Golden Globe® nominations for its first original movie, "Broken Trail."
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, LIFESKOOL, SPORTSKOOL, and VOOM HD Networks. Through its IFC Entertainment division, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a theatrical feature film distribution company; IFC First Take/IFC in Theaters, a day and date theatrical feature film/VOD initiative; the IFC Center in New York City; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Entertainment, which owns and operates a film library. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales company, and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.