Consumers are seeking entertainment experiences and integrated marketing connects brands to those experiences in an authentic way. Brands see tremendous value integrating content across our platforms (TV, online, mobile, social media, and on-the-ground) to reach key audiences. We look to create branded content that is contextually relevant adding editorial authority to the brand’s positioning and allowing the brand to stand out amongst the competition. When promoting brand integrations on social, our marketers make an effort to expose fans to the sponsors in a way that isn’t brand or logo excessive as to maintain an authentic voice.

A key strength that separates us from its competition is music-based programming. Influencing pop culture, music is an important platform for advertising partners to reach specific audiences. It’s also an arena where working with an experienced broadcast partner is helpful, given the myriad of potential complications -- copyright clearances, contract restrictions, labels and artist management concerns etc. When associating a branded content partner, for example, care must be taken to deliver content that serves the artist, sponsor and consumer, while not conveying an endorsement or paid relationship between client and artist. Viacom promotes co-branded content across platforms without implied artist endorsements.

Objective:

Pizza Hut sought to re-ignite the slogan "Make It Great" while positioning the brand into the pop culture conversation. Pizza Hut identified ‘music discovery’ as a tagline to own in the pizza category. We created a cross network, multiplatform program that cultivated shareable, branded content to engage and activate music fans nationwide to discover new music. This integrated execution bridged the music networks and their passionate fan base while creating a sustainable pop culture connection.

Implementation:

We launched the “Discover Great” online hub, which housed all program content, from interviews to performances, and social conversations. MTV, VH1 and CMT News conducted artist interviews (for on-air and online) and refreshed editorial and social content on the hub daily.

“Discover Great” kicked off with Hangout Music Festival in Alabama in May 2013 with artists like Atlas Genius and Nabiha. We built co-branded onsite experiences at the festival; thousands checked out “Discover Great” artists in branded listening, cooling and device charging stations. “Discover Great” artists also performed at Firefly Music Festival, Bonnaroo, O Music Awards, and Lollapalooza, with all content posted on the online hub and shared on social platforms.

The finale was the Discover Great Music Lounge in Austin, TX, timed to Austin City Limits. The grounds were converted into a unique “Discover Great” music experience with performances by Nabiha, Walk the Moon & Striking Matches. The Discover Great Music Lounge, included a branded Mechanical Bulldog where visitors rode with a pizza box to win Pizza Hut gift cards. Co-branded GIF booths, cocktails and a mobile kitchen to sample Pizza Hut’s cuisine drew crowds. Fans following the celebration remotely participated in tweetstakes to win gift cards as well as a meet-and-greet with Striking Matches. The “Discover Great” artists continued the conversation by posting their experiences to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Pizza Hut’s “Discover Great” connected fans to emerging artists all summer long, with exclusive performances and backstage interviews nationwide from the Hangout Festival to the Discover Great Music Lounge in Austin, TX. MTV, VH1, CMT and MTV2 promoted the artists and music content with on-air call to action spots, social and editorial promotions, and custom content across on-air, online, mobile, and social. Featured artists connected with fans on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to share #DiscoverGreat experiences. MTV, VH1 and CMT created custom, online, mobile and tablet video walls and to help Pizza Hut connect with fans on-the-go.

Social engagement reached 61 million feeds and the “Discover Great” hub saw an average lift in visits of 66% from social posts. This lift was strengthened by exclusive editorials from MTV Buzzworthy to VH1’s You Outta Know and Top 20 and social promotion from MTV, VH1 & CMT.

We created over 60 pieces of branded content featuring emerging artists to drive traffic. The “Discover Great” hub was visited 1.5M times and there were 3.7MM content/video streams. An average user spent of 9.8 minutes on the hub – an overall 14MM minutes of time spent on the hub. This resulted in over $1 million in earned media for Pizza Hut. The on-the-ground presence at festivals reached over 20,000 fans daily with pizza / music stations.

The “Discover Great” program generated:

•More than 300MM impressions from on-air and digital

•More than 57MM impressions from social and editorial promotion.

•Over 2,000 shares of the video content on Facebook and Twitter.

•Fans watched an average of 3 pieces of video content per visit.

•Average video completion rate of 98%.

•Mobile and tablet video walls delivered over 5MM impressions – 30% more than goal.