Rogers Broadcasting is letting the big dogs out as part of a major marketing push for its new specialty TV service, FX Canada.
Promotion for the channel includes a free two-hour preview of the creepy new series American Horror Story and the comedy Louie (which ran on the Rogers-owned conventional network Citytv from 9-11 p.m. on Monday); out-of-home advertising including billboards, transit shelters, transit/subway interiors and resto-bar ads; digital advertising including display ads, pre-roll video and search ads on online networks such as YouTube, AOL, Google and Yahoo, as well as radio, television and print ads across Rogers-owned properties including Hello! Canada and Maclean’s.
Rogers has also developed a stunt marketing initiative that will see 100 people dressed as the dog character from FX’s dark comedy Wilfred (a remake of an Australian series in which the lead character, played by Elijah Wood, sees his girlfriend’s dog as a man in a dog costume). The dogs will use public transit and occupy busy street corners in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto next Monday (Halloween) and Tuesday.
“There will probably be a lot of people in various costumes on Oct. 31, but the difference is we’re going to continue on Nov. 1,” said Koreen Ott, marketing director, entertainment, for Rogers Media. “It’s a PR stunt that will get people talking.”
The marketing is driving to FXCanada.ca, where consumers can find additional information about the channel and its shows, as well as subscription information.
“Our strategy out of the gate is really to intrigue consumers and get them to tune into FX Canada,” said Ott. “We want to tell them about some of the great programming. We’re really committed to bringing more great content to Canadian audiences, and we’re able to do that with FX Canada.”
The introduction of FX Canada will enable Canadian consumers to experience some critically acclaimed dramas from the channel’s U.S. counterpart, including the Kurt Sutter (The Shield)-created drama Sons of Anarchy (currently in its fourth season in the U.S., but will be shown from the beginning on FX Canada) and the Louis C.K. sitcom Louie. Canadian content will come from the likes of Ed’s Up (featuring the Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Robertson) and the “docu-soap” series The Beat.
The channel will be in free preview for two months beginning on Monday, which Ott said is a great tactic for driving subscription. “You have to allow your consumer to sample the programming,” she said. “I think that FX is different from other specialty channels in that this content hasn’t been made available in Canada before. It is new content viewers are not likely to be as familiar with.”
