Short-term finance concepts and applications

¶ … Finance

F/X Digital -- Extreme Television Viewing

Watching the F/X Channel is about living on the edge and watching extreme behavior, on the streets, or in the operating room. It is about people pursuing the extremes of beauty on "Nip/Tuck" and the dangers of pursuing criminals on the extreme limits of society as depicted in shows like "Cops." To raise the level of viewer excitement about the F/X channel's revamping and its new embrace of digital technology, Fox TV must create a sense of pulse-pounding, heart-palpitating excitement in the preliminary 'buzz' generated for this promotional campaign for F/X Digital. Watching F/X in a digital format means the viewer is, if only vicariously, living on the edge. As the F/X channel is about special effects and extreme living, the promotional campaign must stress that digital technology is about watching television in an 'extreme' fashion.

To communicate this message, more than the standard press release is demanded. A billboard proclaiming the new look of the channel is a good idea -- but also a companion promotional event featuring people bungee from the billboard when the billboard's image is unveiled. This event would set the tone for the advertising and marketing campaign. Hiring extreme sport athletes to engage in feats of daring in an F/X-inspired tournament would be another possible promotion to raise awareness about the introduction of the cutting-edge digital technology to the channel's format.

Even print advertising for the campaign can have an added edge to it -- showing a mirrored fold-out poster-sized magazine advertisement that conveyed an arrangement of slick and eye-catching images of the television programs and movies offered by the channel would be better than a standard magazine page ad. Some adolescents might want to use the poster to hang in the rooms or lockers, and younger people are a critical part of the channel's demographic. A hologram or even a 3D advertisement would take conventional print magazine advertisements to the 'next level.' Of course newspaper advertisements could not have as slick a component to the texture of the actual ad, thus having large, page-wide advertisements might be necessary to convey the hugeness, and again the extremity of the channel, as seen in a digital format.

To remind viewers of the many unique action films offered by the channel, handing out bumper stickers at places where F/X watchers are likely to buy products is one possibility. These stickers could read "F/X Digital -- My Other Car is a Stunt Car." This would offer a humorous, ironic message to draw the attention not just of the driver displaying the sticker, but everyone who saw the sticker. Creating idents, or short video promotions showing very ordinary-looking actors portraying viewers of the F/X channel turning on the channel in digital and suddenly becoming part of one of the shows or the films featured on the channel in the upcoming month would underline the message of: "F/X digital -- watch if you dare." This would show how watching in digital creates a new risky, and thrilling dimension to the television-watching experience.

Advertisements regarding the new dimension digital viewing will bring to the F/X experience should of course be included on the channel's website. Ad bumpers should make full use of eye-catching graphics and sound, in such a way that the Internet surfer will actually want to watch the mini 'show,' rather than merely close the browser window. Showing a clip from a show or film from an F/X climax or cliffhanger that will make the viewer want to see if the character lives or dies, or scales the mountain will underline the message that "F/X Digital is Extreme Viewing."