Network Rolls Out "Love, Love" Multi-Platform Marketing Campaign; Debuts 12 Docs and Films, Including Season Finale of "Be Good Johnny Weir"; and Online Series, "Lizzy the Lezzy"
As Part of Official Sponsorship of 2010 NYC Pride, Sundance Channel Kicks-Off Viral Marketing Campaign for Original Series "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys"
New York, June 23, 2010 – Sundance Channel celebrates Gay Pride Month with an extensive multiplatform marketing campaign entitled "Love, Love," and a line-up of LGBT-themed original programming and films representing the LGBT community. The campaign includes a network takeover featuring more than 50 "Love, Love" ID spots, shorts, graphics and on-air and online promos starring network talent, such as outspoken and controversial figure skater Johnny Weir and the sassy, animated stand-up comedian Lizzy the Lezzy. The digital component of the campaign (www.sundancechannel.com/lovelove) also showcases original short form content that celebrates creativity and individuality.
Sundance Channel’s Gay Pride programming includes a dozen documentaries and films, including the season finale on Sunday, June 27 of the buzzed-about Sundance Channel original series "Be Good Johnny Weir," which follows American figure skating champion Johnny Weir at the 2010 Winter Olympics. On Monday, June 28, the network features the U.S. television premiere of Edie & Thea: a Very Long Engagement, an inspiring portrait of a lesbian couple who finally achieve their dream of marrying – 42 years after getting engaged. In addition, Sundance Channel is an official sponsor of 2010 NYC Pride, and will use the annual PrideFest street fair on Sunday, June 27 to kick-off the marketing campaign around its upcoming original series, "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys."
"Sundance Channel is all about showcasing creative, provocative personalities and stories and celebrating individuality, and we wanted to create a fresh, timely campaign that underscores our commitment and support of the gay community," said Shari Weisenberg, senior vice president of Marketing for Sundance Channel. "We’re excited to salute Gay Pride with our ’Love, Love" campaign, which is also a fitting way to give viewers a first look at our new original series, ’Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys,’ premiering this fall."
Recently, Sundance Channel announced the commission of five new short films as well as a series of promo spots featuring the sassy, animated, lesbian stand-up comic "Lizzy the Lezzy" from animator and filmmaker Ruth Selwyn. Selwyn’s previous shorts featuring Lizzy have become a viral sensation around the world garnering over 3.5 million views. The new shorts are a centerpiece of the "Love, Love" campaign, airing on the linear channel as well as on Sundance Channel on-demand and on sundancechannel.com, . On Tuesday, June 29th Sundance Channel will host a live Twitter Q&A with Lizzy the Lezzy where fans can interact with the lusty character.
As part of its Gay Pride initiative, Sundance Channel is also an official sponsor for NYC Pride (www.nycpride.org). As part of its sponsorship, the network will kick-off a viral marketing campaign for "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys," a new original series premiering this fall that explores the relationships between women and their gay best friends and the emotional and social tensions that frame them. During NYC Pride’s 24th Annual Dance on the Pier, on Sunday, June 27, Sundance Channel will give away more than 5000 glow-in-the-dark USB bracelets that take users to www.girlswholikeboyswholikeboys.com, where web host Paula Froelich will introduce fans to the show and give a sneak peek of exclusive content from the series.
Featured Programming includes:
"Be Good Johnny Weir"
Season One Marathon: June 23-27 at 7PM
Season Finale: Sunday, June 27 at 9PM/8C
Sundance Channel brings viewers up-to-date on the saga of iconoclastic figure skater Johnny Weir with a special one-hour episode of its popular original docu-series "Be Good Johnny Weir." Premiering Sunday, June 27 at 9PM/8C, this revealing special tells the story behind what is arguably the biggest controversy of the 2010 Winter Olympics: Johnny’s shut-out at the medal podium. Though Johnny skated two of his best performances ever, the judges placed him behind skaters whose programs were filled with mistakes. It shocked sports journalists as well as fans, and Johnny’s supporters believe that he was "robbed." But the drama didn’t end with the judging. In the face of snide and belittling media commentary about his gender, Johnny tackled the issue head-on in a press conference. Post-Vancouver, Johnny remains in the media spotlight even as he finds himself at a major crossroads in his life. What should he do next, and will he continue skating? The special follows the indomitable skater as he copes with the hullabaloo and meets with people who matter most to him, to weigh his options and consider his future.
Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement
Monday, June 28 at 8:00pm
Directed by Susan Muska and Greta Olafsdottir. Great love stories often begin with a moment of instant attraction – and such was the case with Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer, who met in New York’s West Village in the early 1960s. They soon became "engaged," though the idea of a civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples was unthinkable at the time and would not come to pass for another four decades. As the two soul mates prepare at last to wed, they look back on their lives together, the battles they have fought and the changes they have seen. This presentation is a US Television premiere.
About Sundance Channel
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, imaginative and uncompromising, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries and original programs. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel’s website address is.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Festival Direct, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.