The initials C and W stand for two related entities–one of which has creative implications for the advertising community; the other is a new TV network slated to make its debut in September.
The latter–which takes its C from CBS Corp., the W from Warner Bros. Entertainment–will be a combination of the best programs from the soon-to-be-shuttered WB and CBS-owned UPN networks. The plan calls for two fledgling networks to become a strong single network.
This CW network in turn has devised another c.w., this one in lower case–“content wraps”–which combine advertising and entertainment. Content wraps deploy serialized stories told in three two-minute segments that run during an evening of programming. CW is hoping that its c.w. will lead to meaningful advertiser experimentation.
The new hybrid ad form is designed as a means to hold viewer attention, counteracting the TiVo effect in which commercials get bypassed. There’s also the fear that another countermeasure to TiVO, product integration in TV series, could eventually reach a saturation point, meaning that advertisers still will need other forms and genres–such as content wraps–to effectively get their messages and branding across to prospective consumers.
Though a first sponsor had not yet been lined up for the content wrap concept at press time, the CW network has a sample of how the three-part format would play. In the prototype, a geeky young man gets a makeover, then goes out on a date, and then conjectures about whether he will get a second date–all the while talking about certain products.
While the CW network will still primarily rely on traditional advertising support, the diversification into content wraps and other forms is deemed necessary due to the changing media landscape in which viewers can more easily circumvent spots.
Director Lucrecia Signs With PRETTYBIRD For Her 1st U.S. Representation
PRETTYBIRD, the production company helmed by Paul Hunter, Kerstin Emhoff, and Ali Brown, has added award-winning filmmaker Lucrecia to its roster for U.S. commercial and music video representation. This marks the director’s first representation in the U.S. market.
Lucrecia has been signed to PRETTYBIRD UK since 2021, soon after winning UKMVA’s Best Pop Newcomer award for her Tarantino-esque music video for rapper/singer-songwriter Ashnikko--which the director pitched, prepped, and shot in only four days. Since joining PRETTYBIRD UK, Lucrecia has quickly made a name for herself. Her striking narratives, combined with a hyper-real aesthetic and iconic world creation, have been the centerpieces of her filmmaking and photography.
Her work has gone viral on more than one occasion. Her commercial for bibigo, “Live Delicious,” was widely admired and even recreated on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel. She has won awards from Kinsale Shark, Creative Circle, and UKMVA, as well as recognition at the Cannes Lions Young Directors Awards and Ciclope Awards.
Candice Dragonas, VP, talent strategy/executive producer PRETTYBIRD US, said of Lucrecia, “She brings a uniquely stylish approach to storytelling with the perfect splash of humor and playfulness. I admire her extreme passion for her craft and the drive to create at the top of her game.”
In addition to Lucrecia’s cinematic visual aesthetic, she routinely engages in another unique form of self-expression: nail art. She has had everything from whipped cream and cherries to chrome flames adorning her nails.
At PRETTYBIRD, Lucrecia joins a roster of filmmakers including Academy Award-winning duo Daniels (Everything Everywhere All At Once), A.V. Rockwell (A Thousand... Read More