The Reindeer Group Drives Online Buzz for New VH1 Series BSTV  5/19/05

The Reindeer Group Drives Online Buzz for New VH1 Series 'BSTV'

NEW YORK, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-based ideas agency The Reindeer Group created a hugely successful online "buzz" marketing campaign for the launch of VH1's new series "BSTV," which premiered Sunday, May 15.

The weekly television series invites real people and celebrities to participate in what they believe to be casting calls and pilot tapings for the latest and hottest new reality shows. What they don't know is that every audition is 100% fake. Each concept is pulled off by a cast of improv actors posing as the show's producers and talent. No matter how much "B.S." is doled out by our cast of accomplices, eager reality show wannabes and celebrities always seem ready to believe any bogus concept for their chance at fame. Celebrities who participated include: Dennis Rodman, Rachel Hunter, Katrina Campins, John Salley, Kimberley Locke, Traci Lords, Erik Estrada, Cindy Margolis, Tara Lipinski and more.

To help VH1 launch the series, The Reindeer Group developed a buzz campaign featuring BSTV.TV, a web site that was designed to be talked about on the Internet. The initiative became an online hit with blogs and websites which added the site as a "must see," including the site The Daily Candy. In a four-week period BSTV.TV went from being unknown to 200,000 unique visitors watching the equivalent of 1.5 million 30-second increments of video.

Using the BSTV.TV site, The Reindeer Group developed a backstory for a 'mystery production' company that had been producing television shows in 'stealth mode.' This story provided the fuel to spark an online viral frenzy as people viewed online clips of shows such as 'Come Fry With Me,' where one lucky civilian is told they could win the chance to flick the switch on an execution of a death row inmate.

The campaign involved online and outdoor elements that drove people to http://www.bstv.tv. The campaign featured the BSTV.TV website, online media, outdoor wild-postings, a mobile truck and Reindeer's proprietary online seeding techniques.

Troy Benton, President of The Reindeer Group said, "It's great to work with a brand like VH1 which understands that marketing now has the dual objective of communicating a story as well as entertaining the consumer. BSTV.TV provided the consumers with something that they wanted to pass on to friends."

About Reindeer

Reindeer is an ideas agency with offices in New York and Sydney. Reindeer creates non-traditional advertising campaigns for clients that include Reebok, Buena Vista International and MTV Networks.

We believe that branding and media are becoming one. We believe adding value to a consumer's life is required to have a long-lasting, profitable relationship. Reindeer develops 360-degree programs for clients who understand that a profitable business relationship means developing a beneficial proposition for the customer.

For more information and case studies: http://www.reindeercompany.com

-0- 05/19/2005

see also:

5/3/05 VH1 Announces News Series BSTV