Monster.com Signs on as Associate Sponsor of Celebrity Improv Series Set to Premiere as Weeklong Programming Event in June
Network’s Strong Original Programming and Ratings Growth Attracts Saturn and Monster.com as First-Time Sponsors
New York, NY, June 15, 2005 – AMC, basic cable’s premiere destination dedicated to movies and movie culture, announced today that it has signed General Motor’s Saturn division as the exclusive presenting sponsor of AMC’s new original series “Celebrity Charades,” and online job search engine, Monster.com as the associate sponsor. The new star-studded series will air as a weeklong programming event, June 20-24. This marks the first time that Saturn and Monster.com have sponsored an AMC original. Saturn will tout its SUV model VUE throughout the sponsorship. This announcement comes on the heels of AMC’s stellar ratings growth in 2004 and first quarter 2005.
“‘Celebrity Charades’ invites our audience to a week long charades party and gives them access to some of Hollywood’s hottest stars,” said Linda Schupack, AMC’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. “On the heels of its best year and first quarter ever, (2004 & Q1, 05) AMC has successfully attracted younger viewers, and maintained its loyal core audience, which offers Saturn and Monster.com wide consumer appeal.”
“Saturn is proud to partner with AMC on ‘Celebrity Charades’,” said Scott McLaren, Advertising Manager, Saturn. “The amazing line-up of stars in this series coupled with AMC’s unique show concept appeals to our customers.”
Saturn will receive on-air, online, and print advertising presence beginning June 13 and running throughout the weeklong programming stunt to June 24. On-air ads include: 30s spots, tagged tune-ins, bumpers, billboards, and customized in-show pop-ups. The pop-ups will feature a Saturn VUE ‘towing’ movie factoids, about the charade being performed, across the lower third of the screen. Online at www.amctv.com, Saturn will be prominently featured via homepage tower ads, on the customized “Celebrity Charades” page, and in amctv.com’s monthly e-newsletter, Movie Clicks. The site will also feature a link to Saturn’s website, www.saturn.com.
As the associate sponsor of “Celebrity Charades”, Monster.com will receive on-air presence through 30s spots, tagged tune-ins and billboards.
AMC’s commitment in celebrating movie culture while connecting TV viewers with informed and irreverent programming has raised the network to new heights in ratings and delivery. Its new investment in stronger movie titles, programming stunts and specials and original programming had a tremendous impact in 2004, providing AMC with its strongest year ever in total day and prime time households and key demo deliveries. The momentum continues in 2005 as AMC celebrated its strongest first quarter ever in Q1 2005.
AMC’s original series and documentaries, movie festivals and themed stunts continue to attract a wide and impressive roster of national sponsors.
AMC hosts a star-studded party in its latest original series, “Celebrity Charades”, executive produced by acclaimed actor/director Bob Balaban (“Gosford Park”), Emmy Award-winning actor Chad Lowe and Academy Award? winner Hilary Swank, airing as a special AMC event on five consecutive nights beginning June 20 at 9 pm ET/PT. “Celebrity Charades” invites viewers to a celebrity party held in an intimate New York City loft apartment where Balaban and Lowe welcome their friends – among them fellow actors Stanley Tucci, Lorraine Bracco, Julianna Margulies, Sam Rockwell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Griffin Dunne, Billy Baldwin, Kristen Johnston, Hank Azaria, Rosie Perez, Carson Kressley, designers Cynthia Rowley and Isaac Mizrahi, and singer Vanessa Carlton – to play three rounds of “running charades.” Each episode offer viewers an inside look at the personal relationships amongst the celebrity friends as the camera captures conversations, antics and inside jokes the group shares with one another over dinner, and continues to reveal throughout the game. The stars also speak about the charity they are playing for and why they support the worthy cause, through individual or group interviews.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media’s Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women’s Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 86,000,000 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. AMC is “TV for movie people.”