Video Age International October 2016

20 October 2016 V I D E O A G E MIPCOM Preparat ions most of the marketing budget at MIPCOM. Generally we will establish a top list of titles which we know will attract the most attention in Cannes. For market programs, we may create promos and print publicity, advertise in key trade magazines (online and print), book outdoor poster advertising, hold launch events, stunts or screenings, display graphics on the sales stand, etc. Library material is often matched up with current titles depending on a genre that the sales team knows is ‘on trend’ in their particular market. Buyers also often return to library titles largely through researching on our website. VA : Do you find the presence of talent helpful? Jennifer Brinkworth : Talent most certainly adds a sense of buzz and excitement to the launch of any show. We recently launched documentary special Mandela, My Dad and Me at the market and hosted the very talented and extremely popular star of the documentary, Idris Elba. Our cocktail event was oversubscribed and a huge success for everyone concerned, generating great interest, which translated into deals. Plus, the press coverage for the show was phenomenal. Claire Douglas : The presence of talent is always an exciting and valuable way to reach clients and generate interest in a show at the market. Whether front-of-camera talent or executive producers — the presence of talent provides the opportunity for a full 360-[degree] approach to a market campaign, including press, advertising, marketing and events. But they can be demanding — Matilda the House Robot from Robot Wars, who attended MIP-TV 2016 for Passion Distribution, had a very long rider list! Amanda Hill : A+E shows attract A-level talent both in front of and behind the camera. Bringing those stars to a premier market like MIPCOM is a win-win-win. It drives heightened awareness to the show titles that talent are there to promote, it adds credibility to A+E as a destination for attracting top talent, and it helps the talent gain additional exposure of their own, particularly amongst the international market, buyers and press. As I mentioned earlier, A+E is coming off of a monumental MIP-TV where we premiered Roots as MIP-TV’s World Premiere Screening and brought five members of its all- star cast to the market. We [made] plans for top- tier talent to join us at MIPCOM. Connie Hodson : Absolutely. Having the presence of talent helps generate essential press opportunities leading up to the market as well as on the ground. Also, having talent in person at the market shows their support for the series and provides a nice platform for potential buyers and key clients to meet with them and discuss the series as part of the experience in licensing the program. Steve Quirke : In general, talent can be very helpful in raising the profile of a show if they are well-known internationally. Last year, supermodel Rachel Hunter attended Cannes to promote her Tour of Beauty series with us. Rachel attracted plenty of press attention, especially from national newspapers. Talent was also well received for the recent launch of our hit drama Versailles. A screening for 300 people was followed by a Q & A with some of the cast who then had dinner with some of our key clients, which added extra intimacy to the launch. VA : How do you prepare contingency plans (if something goes wrong)? Jennifer Brinkworth : Having survived a couple of Palais floods and the ash cloud, I learned very early on in my career to plan for just about everything. This is the job — and indeed responsibility — of any decent marketer. Critical to turning a disaster into a success story is the ability to draw on a tried and trusted list of contacts and suppliers. Claire Douglas : Planning, planning and more planning — a key part of which is choosing the best suppliers and support teams. Having fantastic working relationships with the various stakeholders involved in the market is key. Amanda Hill : I trust greatly in my fabulous marketing and communications team. They can handle anything and everything! Connie Hodson : I always make sure to have a backup plan in case there are any unforeseen changes and of course it helps to have an incredibly brilliant team that is proficient, experienced and dedicated to ensure the market is a successful one. Steve Quirke : Our team is very experienced and pre-market preparation is very good, so we do not come across too many difficulties at the markets. The only thing you can’t prepare for is the weather. One year we temporarily moved to a stand in a tent when the roof caved in on us following a biblical downpour of rain! VA : In terms of spending per market, what are your key trade shows? (Continued from Page 18) A+E’s Amanda Hill (second from right, first row) and the international team FOX Networks Group Content Distribution’s Connie Hodson (third from l.) and her team (Continued on Page 22)