BET Announces Marketing Partnerships With a Host of Sponsors for the 'Hottest Ticket on Television' - The BET AWARDS 2008

BET Announces Marketing Partnerships With a Host of Sponsors for the 'Hottest Ticket on Television' - The BET AWARDS 2008

Advertising and Promotional Partners Include Dodge, Procter & Gamble, Target, CIROC Vodka, Ford, Coors, Pepsi, Verizon Wireless and Akademiks

NEW YORK, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of this year's BET AWARDS, BET has announced unique marketing partnerships with several high-profile sponsors, including Dodge, Procter & Gamble, Target, CIROC Vodka, Ford, Coors, Pepsi, Verizon Wireless and street wear clothing brand Akademiks. In addition to being integrated into various elements of the show and its ancillary events, each partner will be featured in advertising spots during BET AWARDS '08, which will air live from Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m.*

   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080603/NETU049LOGO           http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )  

Hosted by actor and comedian D.L. Hughley and tagged as "the hottest ticket on television," BET AWARDS '08 will feature LIVE performances by some of today's hottest artists, including Usher, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Keyshia Cole, Marvin Sapp, Nelly, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Chris Brown, and Young Jeezy. In addition, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Terrence Howard, Jennifer Hudson, Gabrielle Union, Mary Mary, Lauren London and Kevin Hart have been added as presenters, and Jill Scott has been confirmed to perform a special tribute to legendary R&B icon Al Green, who is receiving BET's Lifetime Achievement Award. Quincy Jones, celebrated producer/arranger/composer, is also being honored this year with BET's prestigious Humanitarian Award.

"By teaming up with these companies in support of the most hotly anticipated evening in Black entertainment, we're giving them the opportunity to reach one of the largest diverse audiences in television history," said Louis Carr, President of Media Sales, BET Networks. "It's truly exciting for us to work with each of these advertising partners in providing them with creative, compelling executions to promote their brands in conjunction with the BET AWARDS."

"We're committed to weaving our sponsors' brands seamlessly into the BET AWARDS '08 and all of the great events we have planned in support of the big show," said Alvin Bowles, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, BET Networks. "With such a high-profile awards show and so many prestigious advertising partners, it's a win-win situation in exposing our brand and theirs to millions of passionate multicultural viewers."

In a recent multimedia engagement analysis of 5,000 African-American adults, Simmons Market Research Bureau found that BET viewers are 21% more ad receptive when they watch ads on BET, and 31% more ad receptive when they see ads on BET.com, versus other networks and sites.

In the days and weeks leading up to the show, as well as during the event itself, a number of sponsors will be integrated into various elements and ancillary events for BET AWARDS '08. The following has more details on each partnership:

   -- Dodge      - Sponsoring the BET AWARDS '08 Red Carpet Event, featuring the        All-New 2009 Dodge Journey and the All-New 2009 Dodge Challenger.      - Also co-sponsoring the BET Networks Celebrity Billiards Tournament        -- Donating a 2009 Dodge Journey and custom artwork by artist Jerry           Prettyman to designated charity of the tournament's winner.    -- Procter & Gamble      - Sponsoring the My Black Is Beautiful Beauty Suite backstage before        the BET AWARDS '08        -- Celebrities can get lite hair, make-up and skin analysis      - Also hosting a My Black Is Beautiful Awards beauty microsite and        poll on BET.com that will have users vote on celebrities with most        beautiful smile, beautiful hair, and beautiful face        -- Winners of poll will be announced during BET AWARDS '08      - Also co-sponsoring a dinner on Monday, June 23, the evening before        BET AWARDS '08, and hosted by Debra Lee, Chairman and Chief        Executive Officer of BET Networks    -- Target:      - Co-sponsoring a dinner on Monday, June 23, the evening before BET        AWARDS '08, and hosted by Debra Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive        Officer of BET Networks      - Sponsoring the TARGETCAM element of the pre-show, highlighting        celebrity arrivals on the Red Carpet    -- CIROC Vodka      - Official Spirits sponsor of the BET AWARDS '08        -- Sponsor of LIVE BET AWARDS '08 Post-show        -- Co-sponsor of BET AWARDS '08 after-party    -- Lincoln/Ford:      - Post-show integration        -- Danelle and Toure of BET's THE BLACK CARPET will be seen using a           2008 Lincoln Navigator, as they head to the BET AWARDS '08           after-party at the end of the show.        -- The All-New distinctive 2009 Ford Flex will provide special           "concierge car service" to BET talent and other celebrities.        -- BET AWARDS '08 after-party co-sponsor    -- Coors Brewing Company/Coors Light:      - Co-sponsoring the BET Networks Celebrity Billiards Tournament on        Saturday, June 21 in Hollywood        -- 32 celebrity contestants will participate in this new event, with           the real winner of the night being the charity of the winning           celebrity's choice, which will receive a vehicle and custom           artwork.    -- Pepsi:      - DJs from Pepsi's DJ Division are hosting customized vignettes        profiling four BET AWARDS '08 nominees.  The vignettes were produced        by BET and are airing on the channel during the month of June.        -- As a sponsor of the BET AWARDS '08 Web site, Pepsi is providing           exclusive content from their DJ Division and presenting the Pepsi           "Month in the Mix" Sweepstakes offering the chance for a BET.com           site visitor to win a trip to attend a Missy Elliott concert this           October.    -- Verizon Wireless:      - Sponsoring Viewers' Choice Award Poll, driven by BET.com      - Creating "My First BET Awards," a special show to premiere first        online and then on-air, which will follow BET Awards nominee Flo        Rida, as he attends the show for the first time.    -- Akademiks:      - Confirmed to style the BALDWIN HILLS cast for the BET AWARDS '08        -- Akademiks will be designing clothes to fit each cast member's           style, as each cast member will have input on the design of the           clothes they will be wearing on the Red Carpet.      - Co-producing the Oasis Spa Lounge on Sunday, June 22 and Monday,        June 23        -- BET AWARDS '08 presenters and nominees will be treated to a day           of luxury with massages, manicures and pedicures.    

Visit BET.com for BET On Blast video highlights, photos and continuous BET AWARDS '08 updates at www.bet.com/betawards.

   *All times ET/PT    About BET Networks  

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Bernadette Simpao of BET Networks, +1-212-205-3154,
bernadette.simpao@bet.net

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.bet.com/betawards

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Profile: International Entertainment