Another important element of the launch campaign was the television spot. This spot is created with building the understanding of the target audience, the News Explorer, and creatively communicating the “fuller spectrum of news” concept in mind.
Television was an important medium in the launch campaign because part of the objective was to reach a mass audience. Although media is continually becoming more and more fragmented through sites and niche channels, television remains one of the most effective ways to reach many people at once.
A new bonus of creative materials created for TV is the growing popularity of online video. While some argue that each execution should be created specifically for the medium, others argue that repurposing (reusing existing clips in new ways) is a great way to get the most bang for your production buck.
The Thirty-Second “Spectrum” Spot
(click to see video)The thirty-second “Spectrum” spot is the anthem for the msnbc.com campaign. It is a visual journey through the fuller spectrum of news. SS+K worked with Charlex on animation, Driver on production, and Endless Noise and Nutmeg on sound design and music to create all the TV spots.
The Ten-Second “Spectrum Rain” Spot
(click to see video)The ten-second “Spectrum Rain” spot told the story of the spectrum through simple visuals as well as sound. “Spectrum Rain” also ran as online video prerolls.
The Ten-Second “Spectrum Wall” Spot
(click to see video)The ten-second “Spectrum Wall” spot had each of the story bricks build the wall of the spectrum, while it reinforced the significance of the bricks with strong sound design. “Spectrum Wall” also ran as online video prerolls.
