ABC Family is pushing the promotional pump behind upcoming series Kyle XY via a deal with the iTunes Music Store and its first repurposing pact with ABC.
Beginning on June 20, six days before the show makes its linear network debut on ABC Family at 8 p.m., users will be able to download the pilot to their video iPods via the iTunes Music Store.
After June 27, installments of Kyle XY will be available for purchase at $1.99 per episodes, according to officials at both companies.
On June 30, those tuning into ABC will get a chance to see or relive the show’s first episode at 9 p.m. An ABC Family spokeswoman said current plans call for the broadcast network to repurpose the first four episodes of the series, which follows the journey of Kyle (Matt Dallas), a mysterious teenage savant who is devoid of such human instinctive behavior as anger, joy and love, and the family who found him, four days after they premiere on the cable service.
Previously, ABC Family has repurposed shows that aired on the Alphabet network, including The Bachelor, Invasion, Super Nanny and Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
To support the free sneak preview on iTunes, ABC Family has secured a multimedia schedule, including on-air promos, a flash ad on its own Web site, radio spots, banners of aol.com and msn.com, and a print ad in Rolling Stone magazine.
“A free preview on iTunes is a fantastic way to build buzz and increase awareness of 'Kyle XY,'" said Paul Lee, president, ABC Family in a statement. "It gives our aggressive tease and reveal marketing campaign a major broadband element, that will help drive viewers to the premiere on the 26th.”
