MSNBC launches new ad campaign showing its anchors away from work…
This afternoon MSNBC launched a new ad campaign regarding its daytime anchors that is rather unorthodox. A cable news insider observed that MSNBC is departing from the traditional promos that normally air for news talent. Instead of the obligatory faked inside the newsroom staff shots; the talent wearing glasses typing away at the computer, hurridly rushing to the set, huddled in staff meetings, talking with the floor crew, etc., MSNBC opted for a series of slickly produced vignettes of its anchors away from the studio, doing something they care about, with a catch phrase summarizing the segment. It seemed to me like MSNBC was trying to give the viewer a fuller picture of its anchors and that MSNBC felt it didn’t need to reinforce its anchors on-air bonafides.
The clever thing about these ads is that they’ve been airing during the anchors’ specific shifts. I saw one ad for Alex Witt; “Baseball Mom”, taking her kids to a Mets game, during Witt’s shift. Chris Jansing’s “Dessert Chef” ad aired during her shift.
In all respects, I would believe many out there like the whole aspect of seeing their anchors as people, who are simply, people, vs. the classic monolithic anchor in a suit, seeming unlike anyone you have ever met.
Comment by Chris — January 18, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
Very very clever. I’m a sucker for stuff like that though. I like to see what the anchors interests are which, a lot of times, you really don’t get to see or know. This is cute.
Comment by bravesfan — January 18, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
This is probably just another incarnation of those “director bumps” they used to do in 2005. If those are any indication of quality…I’m sure these are just the tip of the iceberg.
Comment by Not the Norm — January 18, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
This, like theme music for certain subjects, is an idea stolen/taken from FNC. And, for once, it’s done in an original way! And it’s about time! Good for MSNBC! Slowly but surely, MSNBC and CNN are using ideas they were too good for five and ten years back.
A perfect example of this idea (showing/talking about their personal lives)is Skinnerville on Studio B. Or E.D. Hill making cookies for Bill Hemmer; then putting the recipe on the website.
We’ll see how quickly CNBC picks up Fox Business’ ideas later this year. It’ll be a lot quicker than five to ten years; otherwise, CNBC may not be around much longer.
Comment by erljr — January 18, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
I don’t know. After seeing Chris Jansing’s ad, I just thought that maybe she was debuting a program for the Food Network.
Comment by Missy — January 18, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
I remember many years ago that Alex Witt said that Jansing was a great cook or something so I’m not surprised to see that Jansing’s segment was on cooking. But that’s pretty funny Missy…
Comment by Spud — January 19, 2007 @ 12:27 am
This is a great ad campain, it follows through on showing each anchor as they are, and it reinforces ms’s new personality driven live newscasts by going uni anchored instead of co-anchored. It’s very good, I think they should stick with it and keep going with it.
Comment by scott — January 19, 2007 @ 1:23 am
Does MSNBC ever have an original thought?
Greta just started doing those “Behind the Record” segments and this is just copying and expanding the idea!
Comment by cella — January 19, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Um…you people rally think FNC were the first people to do this?
Does the phrase “This Is Sportscenter” mean anything to you?
Comment by sparky — January 19, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Does anyone know where I could get a copy of the “Espresso Cake” Chris made on her segment? Fabulous cakes!
Joy
Comment by Joy Leopard — February 6, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
Email me directly (use the email ICN link in the upper right corner of the blog) and I’ll see if I can maybe get you that info…
Comment by Spud — February 6, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
I would like to know if Chris Jansing has a cookbook on her desserts. If so, what is the title?
Thanks.
Comment by Johanna — February 21, 2007 @ 10:29 am
I would say the answer is no.
Comment by Spud — February 21, 2007 @ 11:04 am