On-demand content aggregator In Demand will look to make a big marketing splash at this week's Comic-Con International convention in San Diego, promoting cable's Movies On Demand efforts.
Beginning July 20, the network is teaming with MSOs Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications, as well as Reelz Channel, to offer sweepstakes, giveaways, talent appearances and movie screenings of upcoming movie on demand titles for Comic-Con attendees and press.
"With 130,000 fans expected and massive national buzz, we knew that the timing was right to put a stake in the ground for MOD at this pivotal pop culture event," said In Demand Chief Creative Officer Stacie Gray.
In Demand will set up a "MOD Lounge" across the street of the convention center at the Hard Rock Hotel In San Diego that will offer invitation only access to one-on-one meetings with Reelz Channel on-air personality and movie expert Leonard Maltin, as well as Jason Momoa, star of the theatrical Conan The Barbarian, which will be released in theaters on Aug. 19, said network officials.
Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, DreamWorks, Relativity and Warner Bros are providing talent to the press and TWC interviews in the lounge, screenings or prizing for the sweepstake program. Others may join the group, according to an In Demand spokeswoman.
For instance, Paramount will host a private screening of Rango one of several movies In Demand will tout during the conference, while Kevin Smith will engage in converstions behind Lionsgate's Red State, which will be available via MOD, come September.
The Lounge will also house information about other upcoming on-demand movies, as well as serve as the social media headquarters for the moviesondemand Facebook page and the launch of the @moviesondemand Twitter account.
Moving away from the MOD Lounge, Time Warner Cable cameras will be covering the convention floor and capturing celebrity interviews that will become available at no additional cost to their digital customers on the Movies On Demand channel.
On the sweepstakes side, MOD also will launch a national "Geekstakes," with the grand prize being a trip to the 2012 Comic-Con, through street teams distributing scratch off cards on the plaza outside the Hard Rock Hotel, as well as online, according to In Demand officials.
