Jericho Fan Suggestions for CBS's Promotion of Jericho
(Compiled from the message boards on - 06/18/07)
Promotional Ideas that Require CBS Involvement
- Have one of Jericho’s larger sponsors (who is also a NASCAR sponsor) alter the paint scheme of the car for one NEXTEL race to a “Jericho” scheme maybe tie-in with concept of the sponsor supporting the fan’s choice. A lot of the races through July are being broadcast on TNT. Then there’s a block on EPSN, and finally the September/October races are on ABC.
- Wheel of Fortune – Cast, Fans/cast, winnings to charity (possibly Greensburg)
- Cast/directors on talk shows: late night, morning, and Oprah
- Get the episodes CBS is not re-running available in the various cable “On Demand” systems
- Run the URL to the CBS site both at the end of the live broadcast and in the innerTube and On Demand replays
- ask the viewers for their feedback
- announce the ability to watch online
- Jericho cast members on Letterman, Ellen, CBS Morning Show, etc.
- Run commercials for Jericho's summer re-runs during CBS' top-rated shows as well as throughout primetime. Also, don't just promote it as a post-apocalyptic survival show; it is much more than that. Due to current political events, the post nuclear terrorist theme may turn off potential viewers who would enjoy the human drama aspects of the show. So it is important to have several different commercials.
- During their newscasts, our local stations trot out fluffly little reports about their network TV shows and pass them off as news. This is really common during "sweeps months". CBS should distribute Jericho promotions for local stations to use on their newscasts and happy-talk morning shows. Since many of them reported on the nuts campaign that saved Jericho, they may be interested in showing packaged Jericho spots as a follow up. Maybe the Jericho stars could appear on some of the morning shows in the larger markets to promote Jericho.
- Official Jericho Fan Club
- Re-run CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie The Magic of Ordinary Days
- placing commercials during the OnDemand airings of other CBS shows
- "Why are you NUTS for Jericho" Campaign. Narrator: Over 40,000 lbs of nuts have been sent to CBS in protest of cancelling the show. Now that it's been renewed, tell us why you're nutty for Jericho! Fans then send in their own videos, and CBS puts them into the advertisement.
- Start a “curiosity campaign.” Picture a few 10-15 second spots that start with just simply a flash and a mushroom cloud, fading in the sound of the static and fading out with the words, “What would you do?” After that spot runs, move on to the missiles flying and a firefight scene with the words, “How would you survive?” As we came closer to the start of the 1st season running make the spots more descriptive and captivating also of course adding the name of the show and the air times.
- Use local affiliates to help promote the show.
Tie-ins with Advertisers
- They could have people text when they see the ad or drive them to the Jericho site to enter.
- They can even get a sponsor to put a code on the bottom of the screen when their ad is up to be entered at the CBS site goes. It would show advertisers that their ads are being watched.
- To have CBS put up a link on its Jericho community homepage much like the “countdown to Jericho" link. But unlike the above mention link, the "JERICHO LIVE LINK" idea, is that CBS, along with the advertisers and the fans interact on the Link in a way that would be highly beneficial to us all. JERICHO LIVE LINK must make a profit for the advertisers! it must also work for CBS and at the same time give the fans the RIGHT to be counted as Jericho viewers! More explanation of this fan’s idea is available here: http://jerichoboard.cbs.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=60&nav=messages&webtag=CBSMBJericho&tid=14935
Revenue Generating Ideas
- An official Jericho fan shop with a wide variety of products- not
just T shirts and hats promoted on the CBS forum. This would include
member discounts for Jericho items, mugs, hats, shirts, etc. Could
even include a deluxe area or auction for items from
the set available for fan purchase or bid.
- Jericho action figures
- Jericho Video game
- Jericho board game
- Official Jericho merchandise – shirt, hats, mugs, magnetic bumper stickers, bags, etc… (list suggested by fans too long – basically summed up – fan’s want official Jericho stuff)
- Some have mentioned many times not being able to purchase the show due to being outside USA on such net areas as iTunes. Contact with Apple regarding this has been done by some fans, but if someone from CBS were to talk to them, it might actually happen.
- Interactive ads on Innertube, with ability to watch the ads either at the beginning or end
- Add more commercials to Innertube. Perhaps some that are interactive.
- Music CD – Music of Jericho (season 1 obviously for now)
- Jericho magazine/newsletter from CBS
- CBS sanctioned novels 1st one of first part of season (available before 2nd season)
- Get Innertube as international as possible – allows for targeted international advertising