Dubbing it ‘Media Innovation 2007’, Global Television announced an aggressive, multimedia array of activities on Tuesday to kick off its fall primetime schedule.

‘With unique new approaches to ensure our messages hit home with audiences, this campaign reinforces Global’s position as Canada’s most progressive broadcast marketer,’ explains CanWest MediaWorks SVP of marketing Walter Levitt.

For starters, there’s what Levitt terms an unprecedented partnership with two major national retailers. More than 130 Sears stores across Canada — excluding those in Quebec — will feature top Global series with customized signage, including floor decals and window displays. As well, a Sears-sponsored Global Fall Premiere Guide will be distributed in all CanWest papers nationally on Sept. 14, supported by premium ad space on sears.ca.

In Global’s second retailer partnership, Burger King restaurants across Canada will feature a series of tray liners and tent cards showcasing various programs. Another first will be Global’s domination of online program guides during premiere week, when the net will be the exclusive advertiser on more than 1.3 million interactive program guides in Shaw, Cogeco and Eastlink cable systems. As well, Global has targeted all ad space on Captivate Elevator Networks for two full afternoons during premiere week across Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, generating an estimated eight million impressions per day.

For the second consecutive year, the Toronto subway system will be a focal point of the marketing. In an effort that commenced Tuesday and will run throughout the fall, Global has unmissable brand exposure at both the busy Yonge-Bloor station and in the pedestrian tunnel at Eglinton station. As well, high-traffic expressway tunnels into downtown Toronto, at Yonge and York, will showcase Global’s lineup.

Sneak peeks at some of the net’s returning primetime hits are online, including an exclusive first look at the new season of Heroes, which features new commentary from series creator Tim Kring, produced expressly for the Canadian fans of the hit series.

An out-of-home component of the campaign will blanket Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary in posters, interior and exterior bus advertising, domination-weight print ads, newspaper wraps, radio spots and online ads. There’s even a mystery caper to amp up excitement about Survivor: China with a national initiative, the details of which are to be kept under wraps until next week.

All creative and media plans were developed in-house by Global’s marketing department.

From Media in Canada