Didja Hear? USA Network Announces Didja.com, the New Online Destination for Commercial Fans

Didja Hear? USA Network Announces Didja.com, the New Online Destination for Commercial Fans

NEW YORK, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Network announced today the network's first-ever independent digital media initiative, Didja.com. A free online archive of current and classic television commercials, movie trailers and other brand-related content, Didja.com is a social networking destination that reinvents the commercial viewing experience by celebrating advertising as entertainment. The site is due to launch early 2008. The announcement was made today by Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and SCI FI Channel.

"Didja.com is the logical next step in the changing dynamic between consumers and advertisers," said Hammer. "There's no doubt that commercials are major drivers of pop culture - all you have to do is check out traffic on any video-sharing site. We want to own that watercooler conversation and become the go-to destination for on-demand advertising content."

Didja.com will leverage the resources of the NBC Universal Entertainment assets through its multiple platforms of distribution. Through the Universal Motion Picture Group; Universal Television Group, including NBC, USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC and the emerging networks; Universal Media Studios; NBCU Television Stations; NBCU Digital Media and iVillage, advertisers will be afforded the opportunity to present their brands to an actively engaged audience.

Didja.com offers commercial viewing with the highest quality streaming experience through NBCU's video player. The site's social networking application encourages users to rate, vote, comment, and interact with brands they love. Its mash-up toolkit allows users to create brand interpretations, tributes, and parodies. Additional personalization features will allow viewers to customize their experience and receive targeted, relevant brand messages.

Advertisers too are able to customize their brand experience on Didja.com. Content is uploaded remotely through a turnkey interface where advertisers have the option to enable social networking features and set timers to remove content on a predetermined date. Customized brand pages allow advertisers to include additional product information and pre-sale tools such as store locators, coupons, and incentives. As a fully secure, rights protected website, there is no unauthorized or pirated content on Didja.com.

"Didja.com is an exceptional opportunity for advertisers to interact with an engaged audience and extend their marketing budgets online," said Michael Pilot, president, NBCU Ad Sales. "Ads that once aired exclusively on television can now live on Didja.com. Additionally, NBCU's clients will benefit from Didja.com's research capabilities, including virtual focus groups, behavioral targeting, and data mining."

The site will celebrate advertising content, inviting every brand, product and agency to submit their respective commercials. In addition, the initiative will offer a handful of charter sponsors the opportunity to be on the ground floor. Didja.com will serve as an innovative way for advertisers to interact with an audience that's truly connected to their brands.

USA NETWORK is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports and entertainment events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. The #1 network in basic cable, USA Network is seen in nearly 94 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

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Source: USA Network

CONTACT: Jean Guerin for USA Network, +1-212-664-8988, or
jean.guerin@nbcuni.com

Web site: http://www.usanetwork.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment