BBCK Network Launch Campaign for Alliance Atlantis

Challenge
Alliance Atlantis' Children's programming brand, BBC Kids, was looking to segment some of their programming for a teen demographic. A new brand was needed to delineate the teen programming block from the 12 and under lineup, that would describe the type of content found on the evening block. Consequently, an awareness campaign would have to be created to communicate to consumers within the 13-17 demo about the teen-appropriate content and broadcast schedule.

Solution
To get a current and reality-based perspective on this potential move, Youthography designed and fielded a comprehensive national quantitative study (online of course) looking at young Canadians' attitudes regarding BBC, their specific relationship and habits linked to all television viewing and, very importantly, their specific thoughts on, and planned relationship with, the new BBC Kids. Conceptual brand names and iconography were also tested.

Statistical analysis, combined with our established acumen in the very active and changing television landscape, allowed us to then consult strategically on the entire young consumer market with the assembled BBC team; contextualizing target proclivities within the current Canadian mediasphere and identifying opportunities and potential issues to plan for. This consultation included a wide variety of tactical and strategic recommendations towards the creation of the new BBC teen brand.

In a collaborative effort spanning the research, marketing and creative teams here, Youthography conceived a campaign, called "Rated K", that would span a variety of media to promote the new identity and programs exclusive to the network.

Reinforcing the tacky basement theme that this network would don, and the randomly humorous content found in that timeslot, Youthography designed a series of ad executions featuring freeze frames from a few of the shows that held some kind of visual humor in and of themselves. Content would be a main driver for the campaign in each touch-point. These "Rated K" moments were framed with tacky frames that would likely be relegated to a basement setting, as though the characters were subversively a part of the family, and hung on the wood-paneled or out-dated wallpapered walls. Each moment is labeled with a "Rated K" censor bar that doesn't actually censor anything - echoing the content's absurdity.

The ad executions were adapted to some limited out of home billboards and a series of unconventional wildpostings that adorned construction hoardings across the country. Day 1 of posting revealed only blank areas of tacky wallpaper, giving passers-by a break from the chaos of advertising that is wildposting - unusual on it's own. Then, on day 2, the wallpapered blocks were stickered with a tacky framed "Rated K" moment and the requisite BBCK branding reveal - driving consumers to the Web.

There were 3 components to BBCK's Web presence. The first, a teaser Website that housed a buzz-worthy clip of a Bear doing a striptease on the TTC subway. The teaser site lived at bbck.ca for 2 weeks prior to launch of the permanent network site. BBCK.ca was conceived as a place for teens to primarily experience more "Rated K" moments, and check programming schedule for some of the exclusive show titles. Youthography designed an environment online that mimicked the basement theme that drove the ad executions, where teens could watch many clips from the programs Ð all having a "Rated K" quality to them. The third Web component was a series of myspace.com Websites that featured 4 programs exclusive to BBCK. These sites gave a viral component to the campaign and allowed consumers to view more content online Ð giving further dimension to the campaign.

As part of the national promotional rollout, Youthography designed a two-pronged approach. A touring basement environment would visit unexpected places in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and other cities in Eastern Ontario. Consumers would be invited into the environment to watch clips from the shows on a conglomeration of old TVs playing the new content. Youthography also devised a national retail promotion that will roll out in May hrough June at select youth-oriented retailers, where consumers will be able to fill out ballots to enter a contest that takes them around the world to two mystery "Rated K" locations where they can cause a ruckus. In some of the flag-ship retail locations, 5 small kiosks will reside in-store that have a tacky television looping clips of the "Rated K" content for consumers to experience.

Keep an eye peeled for some "Rated K" content from BBCK, and check out the sites at: www.bbck.ca and www.myspace.com/littlebritainisratedk