More than an Upfront - NBC Universal Hires Jack Morton to Create 'Experience'

More than an Upfront - NBC Universal Hires Jack Morton to Create 'Experience'

NEW YORK, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- For years, "upfronts" -- annual events where media companies present their fall line-ups to advertisers -- have come under scrutiny as a medium in need of a makeover. If the media landscape is evolving, many wonder, shouldn't the industry's top brands also evolve the experiences through which they engage their key customers?

Earlier this week, on Monday, May 12th, Jack Morton Worldwide helped NBC Universal create an experience for advertisers that speaks to the leading media and entertainment company's new, more customer-centric approach. After announcing its year-round programming schedule and one-on-one client meetings earlier this year, NBCU engaged Jack Morton to help design the May 12th spotlight event -- which showcased the full scale of NBCU offerings in a multi-media, interactive environment that allowed advertisers to experience the broad spectrum of marketing opportunities that NBCU offers.

At its core, the May 12th experience engaged the almost 2,000 attendees in a multi-media exploration of NBCU's content across platforms and brands. As opposed to the traditional upfront's one-way "push" presentation skewed to network TV shows, the "NBCU Experience" immersed attendees in an interactive journey that began at NBC's flagship retail store in Rockefeller Center and continued through to a red carpet event in Rockefeller Plaza. Along the way, attendees engaged with integrated content representing the range of media, entertainment and experiences within the NBCU company. They saw over 250 displays with compelling insights into NBCU's ability to engage 9 out of 10 Americans every month; checked out artifacts from shows ranging from "Knight Rider" to "Battlestar Galactica;" met NBCU stars through life-size "people totems;" visited the LX Lounge; and received USB drives with pre-loaded content and opportunities to win prizes from tickets to the Beijing Olympics to Universal Theme Parks.

Jack Morton also helped NBCU create three broadcast zones in the experience. Reinventing the upfront as an opportunity not just to showcase but also create content, Telemundo broadcasted from inside the event; outside, MSNBC's Chris Matthews and CNBC's Maria Bartiromo hosted shows. There was even a special "ETV" or "Experience TV" channel for the experience itself, with Nancy O'Dell emceeing a broadcast from the event's culminating red carpet event.

Jack Morton has a history of helping NBCU create award-winning, innovative experiences. Earlier this year, Jack Morton created an innovative NBCU experience at the Consumer Electronics Show that was named among the "best of CES." The agency's in-house broadcast design team has created multiple Emmy award-winning broadcast sets for NBCU networks.

"We were thrilled to have this opportunity to help NBCU innovate and create a new kind of experience," said Jim Fenhagen, Jack Morton's Senior Vice President of design. "It demonstrates how much more impactful an event can be when it's more interactive, more about discovery and surprise."

Leading experiential marketing agency Jack Morton Worldwide creates multidimensional experiences that inspire key stakeholders to new insight, action and advocacy. Integrating live events, branded environments and interactive media, the agency engages consumers, business partners and employees, helping clients build brands, improve performance and increase sales. Jack Morton has a staff of 600 employees in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, and is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG). More information is available online at www.jackmorton.com .

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Source: Jack Morton

CONTACT: Liz Bigham of Jack Morton, +1-212-401-7212,
liz_bigham@jackmorton.com

Web site:

http://www.jackmorton.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos and interviews available upon request

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