When Rare Method was invited to participate in the iMedia Entertainment Summit's Agency Shoot-out, we jumped at the chance. We're used to making pitches, but this crowd -- more than 130 senior marketing executives from across the entertainment industry -- presented a unique and irresistible challenge.
The fictional assignment was to create a digital campaign for a modern reboot of the classic TV western, "Bonanza." For the Shoot-out, we would be pitching our proposal against that of the highly talented team at Los Angeles' Visionaire Group.
The judges for the contest were Len Fogge, EVP of creative, marketing, research & digital media for Showtime Networks; Chad Harris, VP of special projects & new media for Hallmark Channel; and Patricia Galea, executive director of digital marketing & strategy for Disney ABC Media Networks.
Despite a tight timeline and an impressive presentation from the Visionaire team, we were fortunate to come out with a win, which we credit to a solid strategic base that would give viewers and fans an unprecedented level of access to the show.
The challenge
The fictional project we pitched was for a relaunching of one of TV's all-time great shows, "Bonanza." To get an idea of the assignment, here is the creative brief:
The CW Television Network is relaunching the classic, long-running TV western "Bonanza" as part of its prime-time lineup during the fall 2009 season, to air Tuesday nights after "90210".
A youth-and-family targeted one-hour "dramedy," the new "Bonanza" will air against ABC's "Dancing with the Stars", CBS's "NCIS: Los Angeles", Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance", and NBC's "Biggest Loser" on broadcast.
Relaunched with an attractive young cast and aiming for a combination of adventure, romance, and comedy, the new "Bonanza" will premiere on Tuesday, October 6, 2009.
The original "Bonanza" was the story of 1860s Nevada rancher and cattle baron Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene) and his three sons: Adam (Pernell Roberts), Hoss (Dan Blocker), and "Little" Joe (Michael Landon). In the new version, Ben and Joe are given sex changes to balance out the genders of the main cast.
- Gwen Cartwright (Heather Locklear): The matriarch
- Adam Cartwright (Chad Michael Murray): The heir
- Eric "Hoss" Cartwright Smith (Jonah Hill): Gentle but accident prone
- Josephine "Little Jo" Cartwright Sullivan (Ellen Page): The youngest
The challenge: As with all tune-in campaigns, the goal is to generate excitement for the show and build a fan base of dedicated viewers. This particular campaign, however, is focused primarily on the October 6 "Bonanza" premiere. The CW wants to use the internet to drive and retain real-time viewing of the first episode in order to create an eventful first night, drive engagement with the series, get high Nielsen ratings, and provide value for the show's advertisers.
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