Build a Fantasy Stock Game:Our creative solution to this strategy was to build an online fantasy stock picking game, the “Squawk Box Fantasy Portfolio Challenge.” Participants spent 8 weeks building, maintaining and adjusting their stock portfolios, all the while keeping a keen eye on how their competition was doing in the standings. So rather than simply using our advertising to promote Squawk Box, we were able to use advertising to promote the competitive place to play we created.

A Game Changing Idea:For a show averaging 102,000 viewers per day, we attracted 150,000 participants. More importantly, Squawk Box’s 6-year negative ratings trend ceased, with ratings up 14% in the key demo, and 12% for the network overall. Plus, the show’s median age dropped from 60 to 57 in just one quarter.