Sunday, November 18, 2007

4 New York

WNBC has used the "4 New York" campaign for years. Recently, they brought the campaign back with these slick spots(perhaps too slick?)



What do you guys think about these kind of promos? They don't tell you how much experience they have, that they have a chopper, that they have the most powerful doppler or that they prepare and protect you during severe weather.

They attempt to make a human connection. A connection to the city and it's people.

Emotion. I'm telling you - that's where it's at. Stations love to talk about themselves and very little about the people they serve.

Having lived in NYC during 9/11 - I know New Yorkers certainly have a pride about their city, made stronger by the events in 2001.

Here is a spot WCBS did right after 9/11 that I thought was fantastic. The music is great and the spot is well shot and edited.



So what do you all think? Do these spots work? Make connections with viewers which end up driving viewership? Or are they pretty music videos that do nothing for the station?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

They may not help drive viewers but they don't hurt any either.

My biggest problem with them is they've become a little trite and worse, forgettable. I think the music stop with Brian Williams was the first moment my eyes unglazed in the first spot.

I've seen much more memorable, emotion-driven (rather than message specific) spots from other markets. KPIX, Denver, Minneapolis. I think they do a better job at imaging their stations in a more creative, emotional sense than these generic Cop-on-Horseback image spots.

That said, I'd kill for the budget to try one of these myself.

Promogirl said...

I'd kill for the budget, too, but that's about all I envy with this spot. The music sounds like something out of the early eighties and the talent comes across poorly in this one. Parts of this promo even made me cringe.

In the end it just left me feeling cold. I liked the other one better. The oddest thing was how much these shots could have been in just about any city. Where are the things that make New York so distinctive?

Just my 2 cents...

Anonymous said...

WCBS spot made me feel something and it kicks the WNBC spot's butt. No contest.