A series of prominent TV-series endings will give AMC Networks an opportunity to seek new beginnings with advertisers.
The New York owner of the AMC, IFC and Sundance cable networks will be selling ad inventory in the final cycles of “The Walking Dead,” “Better Call Saul” and “Killing Eve,” all part of the media industry’s annual “upfront” market, when U.S. TV networks try to sell the bulk of their commercial inventory for next season.
AMC Networks executives plan to visit different media agencies the week of April 5th, and have developed a bespoke presentation for each, says Kim Granito, executive vice president of integrated marketing. The conversations will focus on, among other things, AMC’s control of digital inventory across a wide array of venues where its programming appears, along with new linear and digital programming.
“We need to stitch together a lot of things together to really provide solutions for our clients,” says Kim Kellher president of commercial revenue and partnerships, in an interview.
AMC is known best for high-quality scripted production and continues to burnish that reputation. Kelleher says the company will be selling inventory related to “what we call a long goodbye” – two 12-episode cycles of its flagship “Walking Dead” series. The company has already received “such client lean-in” on the last cycle of “Saul.” More content related to both “Dead” is already in development, she says and the company is in discussions with “Eve” producers about possible content related to that series.
But AMC is selling other opportunities. Including a slate of digital originals that can appear across multiple venues that might include YouTube, IGTV, SVOD, AVOD and FAST channels as well as linear TV. AMC retains rights to its commercial inventory across these venues, notes Evan Adlman, senior vice president of advanced advertising and digital partnerships, which helps advertisers create “a footprint that scales across all of the environments.”
In development in AMC’s digital slate are “Slippin’ Jimmy,” an animated spin off from the world of Better Call Saul,” “Dead in the Water,” a scripted series that ties into season six of “Fear the Walking Dead” that tells the story of a submarine crew fighting for survival, and “Cooper’s Bar,” about a unique watering hole located in the backyard of one man’s bungalow. The last show is executive produced and co-directed by Rhea Seehorn, one of the stars of “Better Call Saul.”
AMC Networks has struck a new content partnership with Complex Networks that allows advertisers to align with original series and other types of content with Complex’s food, pop culture and fashion programming. In one content venture, “Run The Dish,” viewers can learn about apocalypse-inspired cuisine that is created by Complex chefs and talent from AMC’s “Walking Dead” universe.
AMC will, as it did last year, provide a virtual dashboard that offers information on programming, a calendar and a list of sponsorship opportunities and case studies.
