FIC, Fox International Channels will launch it’s first online show across it’s global website networks in October. The 20 two minute drama series, named The Cell follows a man locked in a lawless prison, with only a mobile phone and a mystery caller as his weaponry. A parallel story follows the same character in wealth faced with life-changing decisions. Made by Endemol, it will be supported by sponsorship and pre roll ads.

The cell has already been screen via O2’s mobile network, and Sony’s US online video service, www.crackle.com. The launch comes after the £10 million acquisition of a 55% in UK online ad network Utarget. The move to drive the European online ad market marks it’s determination to open online ad opportunities. The main objective is to equal online ad revenues with TV ad revenues, with Fox’s global online ad network specialising in video advertising; offering advertisers up to 90 seconds of rolling video ad space.

Phil Nott, general manager of .Fox Networks UK, says “Fox International Channels is coming at it from a TV business heritage - it has the content and it’s looking to bridge the gap between TV and online.”
Commercial companies are yet to take full advantage of online video advertising. The most remarkable online video consumer uptake in the UK has been YouTube and the BBC iPlayer. Though it has been suggested that both lack direction, and have failed to harness the potential of brand impacting. Fox’s investment in this area means advertising expansion is expected to soon attract greater user interaction numbers. This will increase the volume of video advertising, and propel it as a legitimate influential advertising tool.

The objectives are designed based on the premise that purchase intent increases by up to 18% when TV and online video advertising campaigns work collaboratively. With further research suggesting that brand favourability increases by 12% through this cross-medium ad campaigning, other media groups are also expected to invest in online video ads.

Pablo Silva, FIC’s vice president for global online publishing described The Cell as an ‘experiment’. They are not investing in promotional material, though it will receive some exposure via their own channels and local websites. The series will be broadcast internationally through a specially designated independent website www.thecell.tv. The Cell development guidelines will also see a game designed with viral elements. Silva explained The Cell is the first in a series of projects that Fox aims to produce and release in 2008, with comedy and drama as the predominate genres.

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Posted by admin on September 24th, 2008 :: Filed under Latest News
Tags :: Fox
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