TNT unveils NBA advertising campaign featuring Jason Terry
Jason Terry during the TNT NBA ad campaign. (Courtesy of Turner Sports)
Turner Network Television (TNT), the destination for drama, today unveiled its comprehensive, aggressive and overarching NBA advertising campaign that builds on last year’s highly successful Let The Truth Be Told NBA platforms. The new spots, directed once again by Spike Lee, all take place at the fictional School of Truth, where kids ages 8 to 11 put NBA players’ accomplishments in perspective.
The campaign features NBA All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal, Ben Wallace, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Steve Francis, Kenyon Martin and Ron Artest; 2004 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year LeBron James and 2004 runner-up Carmelo Anthony; 2003 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year Amare Stoudemire; and rising stars Mike Bibby, Richard “Rip” Hamilton, Jason Terry and Lamar Odom. The spots also include TNT’s Emmy-award winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, along with NBA Hall of Fame announcer Marv Albert and analyst Steve Kerr.
“Kids are the ultimate truth-tellers, and to pair them with some of the giants of the NBA, both literally and figuratively, in The School of Truth, recreates the passion that both casual and avid fans have for their favorite players’ and teams’ accomplishments,” said Jeff Gregor, senior vice president of marketing and programming for TNT and TBS. “We expect the campaign will continue to build on the credibility that the NBA on Turner has established during the past 21 years, bringing even more viewers to TNT’s exclusive Thursday night NBA coverage as the truth unfolds on the basketball court.” The spots, produced by SpikeDDB, include “Uncle” LeBron James being brought in for ‘Show and Tell’ and getting his nephew a C- when the kid’s classmates unveil that James not only didn’t win the NBA championship, but also failed to get his Cleveland Cavaliers into the playoffs; Carmelo Anthony being picked last in a pick up game because he finished as runner up to James for Rookie of the Year honors; and newest member of the Miami Heat Shaquille O’Neal getting a tough Spanish lesson from his new fans.
The spots will begin running nationally the week of Oct. 4. TNT tips off “Premiere Week” in the NBA on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. ET with the Houston Rockets visiting 2003-04 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons, followed at 10:30 pm with the Denver Nuggets @ the LA Lakers. Also during “Premiere Week,” TNT will air an exclusive doubleheader on Thursday, Nov. 4, starting at 8 pm ET with the Miami Heat @ the Cleveland Cavaliers. The second game of the doubleheader, the Minnesota Timberwolves @ the Denver Nuggets contest, begins at 10:30 pm ET. In all, TNT will air 52 regular season games, 46 of which will be part of its Thursday night exclusive doubleheaders. This season TNT’s entire NBA regular and postseason telecasts, along with its highly-regarded pre and post-game shows, will air in high-definition as part of ‘TNT in HD.’
Among the specific outreaches:
On-Air: Heavy on-air promotion and promotional bugs will appear on TNT and across the Turner Broadcasting family of networks, including TBS, Cartoon Network, CNN, CNN Headline News and CNN Airport Network, promoting the opening night of the NBA on TNT on Tuesday, Nov. 2, as well as TNT NBA Thursdays, with topicals airing weekly.
Spot Radio/Spot Cable: Spot radio and cable in 15 markets will focus on NBA season tip-off awareness, with cable placement targeting networks that index well with sports and NBA fans, including ESPN, BET, MTV, Comedy Central, USA Network, FX and Spike TV, and radio targeting urban, sports talk, alternative and classic rock formats,. Markets include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Cleveland, Miami, Denver, Sacramento and Baltimore.
Regal Cinemas: TNT NBA Thursday branded premiums and a box office and in-lobby promotion will be distributed in 15 major markets from Oct. 29 – Nov. 18. Markets include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Cleveland, Miami, Denver, Sacramento and Baltimore.
Print: National print is scheduled to hit the week of Nov. 1, the start of the NBA regular season, and includes Stuff and Hoop Magazine, multiple ads in USA Today (11/2, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 11/24), and in nine major-market newspapers (11/2, 11/11, 11/18) including Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, Miami, Denver, Portland, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Sacramento.
Outdoor: Billboards promoting the upcoming TNT NBA Thursday season will appear in New York (Times Square and Grand Central), Los Angeles (Sunset Boulevard) and Atlanta (TNT NBA Studio campus, various metro locations).
Direct Mail: In conjunction with Time Warner Cable and the NBA, TNT will distribute 90,000 direct mail pieces (supported with cross-channel spots) promoting availability of the NBA on TNT in HD. Targeted markets include Los Angeles, New York, Charlotte, Houston, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Orlando, San Antonio, and Indianapolis.
Online: There will be extensive online presence on the TNT.tv homepage and NBA section, as well as prominent placement on SI.com and NBA.com.
Turner Network Television (TNT), the destination for drama, is a Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. 24-hour advertiser-supported service. TNT, an industry leader in delivery of adults 18-49 and 25-54 in prime and total day, is cable’s only network combining award-winning original films, with upcoming fare including Salem's Lot, adapted from the Stephen King novel, Bad Apple and the Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentation The Winning Season; highly anticipated original series, including The Grid and a Steven Spielberg 12-hour series on the Old West; powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, ER, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel, with Without a Trace joining in fall of 2004; broadcast premieres; and championship sports coverage including NASCAR, the PGA and the British Open and the NBA. TNT will be available in high-definition with the launch of TNT-HD beginning May 2004.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.
The campaign features NBA All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal, Ben Wallace, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Steve Francis, Kenyon Martin and Ron Artest; 2004 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year LeBron James and 2004 runner-up Carmelo Anthony; 2003 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year Amare Stoudemire; and rising stars Mike Bibby, Richard “Rip” Hamilton, Jason Terry and Lamar Odom. The spots also include TNT’s Emmy-award winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, along with NBA Hall of Fame announcer Marv Albert and analyst Steve Kerr.
“Kids are the ultimate truth-tellers, and to pair them with some of the giants of the NBA, both literally and figuratively, in The School of Truth, recreates the passion that both casual and avid fans have for their favorite players’ and teams’ accomplishments,” said Jeff Gregor, senior vice president of marketing and programming for TNT and TBS. “We expect the campaign will continue to build on the credibility that the NBA on Turner has established during the past 21 years, bringing even more viewers to TNT’s exclusive Thursday night NBA coverage as the truth unfolds on the basketball court.” The spots, produced by SpikeDDB, include “Uncle” LeBron James being brought in for ‘Show and Tell’ and getting his nephew a C- when the kid’s classmates unveil that James not only didn’t win the NBA championship, but also failed to get his Cleveland Cavaliers into the playoffs; Carmelo Anthony being picked last in a pick up game because he finished as runner up to James for Rookie of the Year honors; and newest member of the Miami Heat Shaquille O’Neal getting a tough Spanish lesson from his new fans.
The spots will begin running nationally the week of Oct. 4. TNT tips off “Premiere Week” in the NBA on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. ET with the Houston Rockets visiting 2003-04 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons, followed at 10:30 pm with the Denver Nuggets @ the LA Lakers. Also during “Premiere Week,” TNT will air an exclusive doubleheader on Thursday, Nov. 4, starting at 8 pm ET with the Miami Heat @ the Cleveland Cavaliers. The second game of the doubleheader, the Minnesota Timberwolves @ the Denver Nuggets contest, begins at 10:30 pm ET. In all, TNT will air 52 regular season games, 46 of which will be part of its Thursday night exclusive doubleheaders. This season TNT’s entire NBA regular and postseason telecasts, along with its highly-regarded pre and post-game shows, will air in high-definition as part of ‘TNT in HD.’
Among the specific outreaches:
Turner Network Television (TNT), the destination for drama, is a Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. 24-hour advertiser-supported service. TNT, an industry leader in delivery of adults 18-49 and 25-54 in prime and total day, is cable’s only network combining award-winning original films, with upcoming fare including Salem's Lot, adapted from the Stephen King novel, Bad Apple and the Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentation The Winning Season; highly anticipated original series, including The Grid and a Steven Spielberg 12-hour series on the Old West; powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, ER, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel, with Without a Trace joining in fall of 2004; broadcast premieres; and championship sports coverage including NASCAR, the PGA and the British Open and the NBA. TNT will be available in high-definition with the launch of TNT-HD beginning May 2004.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.
