MTV Networks Partners With Cadbury and DISH Network to Launch Its First Ad-Supported Interactive TV Campaign

MTV Networks Partners With Cadbury and DISH Network to Launch Its First Ad-Supported Interactive TV Campaign

The N's All-New Reality Series 'Queen Bees' to Feature iTV Voting and Polling Sponsored by Sour Patch Kids Exclusively in DISH Network Homes Nationwide

NEW YORK, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its efforts to reinvent the way audiences experience content and advertising, MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is partnering with Cadbury, the makers of Sour Patch(R) Kids soft & chewy candy, and DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) to launch its first-ever advertiser-supported interactive television campaign.

iTV voting and polling presented by Cadbury's Sour Patch Kids will be enabled during The N's all-new reality series, "Queen Bees," which premieres Friday, July 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The campaign will be available exclusively in DISH Network(R) homes nationwide.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080707/NYM020 )

"We're working hard to reinvent commercial time as content time, and interactive television is emerging as a strong tool for fostering engagement with our audiences, while providing greater accountability to marketers," said Hank Close, President, U.S. Ad Sales, MTVN. "This partnership signals that we're open for business in iTV advertising, and we're excited to step into the marketplace with great partners like DISH Network and Cadbury."

"By participating in this exciting and innovative opportunity, we're taking our Sour Patch brand advertising to the next level," said Sebastian Genesio, Sour Patch marketing director. "The content on Queen Bees is a natural fit for Sour Patch and reinforces the brand's sour then sweet brand equity in a target-right medium."

The "Queen Bees" campaign will give audiences the unique opportunity to interact directly with television content during show time. Throughout the show, viewers will be prompted with three different sets of questions and results on the bottom third of their screens: "Fill in the Blank," "Sour or Sweet" and "Star Chart Play Along." The questions will be presented before commercial breaks and the voting results will appear immediately following the commercial break, encouraging viewer retention throughout the pod. Sour Patch Kids' branding will be incorporated throughout the iTV application. Additionally, The N will weave Sour Patch Kids' product attributes into one question each episode.

"Our audiences really respond to iTV and we've been out in front with our distribution partners, putting our brands behind advancing this emerging technology," said Denise Dahldorf, Executive Vice President, Content Distribution and Marketing, MTVN. "DISH Network has been an industry leader in iTV, and this partnership brings the power of our programming to their innovative platform."

"For more than seven years, DISH Network has been a leader in iTV and we are excited to continue our innovative work with MTV Networks and Cadbury to build the next platform of interactivity between audience, programmer and marketer," said Michael Kelly, Executive Vice President for DISH Network. "'Queen Bees' unique application creates a new level of connectivity which compliments the programming, pleases the viewer and provides valuable data for the client."

"Queen Bees" is an ideal program for iTV, as 72 percent of reality TV watchers demand content interaction, according to a Harris Interactive study from February 2008. The eight-episode series takes a look at seven self- centered, narcissistic "mean girls," who have been nominated by family and friends in the hopes that they will better themselves from the inside out. While the girls think they are competing to be the biggest diva in the house, they quickly learn that they are there because people want them to change.

The "Queen Bees" campaign furthers MTVN's leadership in interactive television. When the company first started iTV polling in September 2006 on The N's "Degrassi: The Next Generation," there was a 30 to 40 percent viewer participation rate, well above the industry average of 10 to 15 percent. Spike TV's 5th Annual "Video Game Awards" received a 20 percent increase in ratings when the program introduced iTV polling in December 2007. There was a 25 to 30 percent participation rate for the awards show and viewers spent an average of 30 minutes with the application.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, LOGO, NOGGIN, THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About Cadbury North America

Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, Cadbury North America is the Canadian and U.S. combined business unit of Cadbury plc -- the world's top confectionery company (and the only confectionery company with market leading positions around the world in chewing gum, candy and chocolate categories).

In the United States, the brand portfolio of Cadbury includes some of the best-loved confections in the US, including Trident(R), Dentyne(R), Halls(R), Bubblicious(R), Sour Patch(R), Swedish Fish(R), Chiclets(R), Certs(R) and Stride(R), The Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum(R) and Green & Black's(R) organic chocolate. In the U.S., some Cadbury "firsts" include the first vanilla pellet gum (Dentyne Ice(R) Vanilla Chill(R)), sugar free pellets with two contrasting flavors in every pack (Trident Strawberry fusion flavor), easy close envelope packaging, and the first center-filled pellet gum (Trident Splash(R)). Trident (R)Tropical Twist(R) was one of the first fruit flavored gums to lead the gum category. Green & Black's organic chocolate is one of the best selling chocolates in the natural food channel. Our people create brands people love with passion, dedication and drive

About DISH Network Corporation

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) , the nation's third largest pay-TV provider and the leader in digital television, provides more than 13.815 million satellite TV customers with industry-leading customer satisfaction which has surpassed major cable TV providers for eight consecutive years. DISH Network also provides customers with award-winning HD and DVR technology including the ViP722(TM) HD DVR, which received the Editors' Choice awards from both CNET and PC Magazine. In addition, subscribers enjoy access to hundreds of video and audio channels, the most International channels in the U.S., industry-leading Interactive TV applications, Latino programming, and the best sports and movies in HD. DISH Network offers a variety of package and price options including the lowest all-digital price in America, the DishDVR Advantage Package, high-speed Internet service, and a free upgrade to the best HD DVR in the industry. DISH Network is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a Fortune 300 company. Visit www.dishnetwork.com/aboutus or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474) for more information.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080707/NYM020
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
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Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Mark Jafar, of MTV Networks, +1-212-846-8961,
mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com; or Parker McConachie, of DISH Network,
+1-303-514-5351, press@echostar.com

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

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Profile: International Entertainment