Pearson Television, the sole syndicator throwing a typical Promax/BDA marketing workshop, rolled out to conference goers Thursday its fall 2001 promotional plans for Card Sharks.
The audience, about half the attendees of Pearson's Promax/BDA session last year for To Tell the Truth, got to be the first in seeing clips from upcoming Card Sharks episodes. Citing the current tough economic climate, many station and syndication executives are not attending this week's Miami conference in big numbers. Card Shark clips included examples of `video dilemmas,' where players advanced by correctly guessing people's actions to such predicaments as a man deciding whether to drive home a stranger who locked her keys in her car (yes) and buying a guy donuts who is on a strict diet (no).
Pearson executives unveiled a few promotional on-air slogans for the upcoming game strip, which revolves around a high-low card game - "Can we deal you in?" and "Are you game?" Card Shark's promotional push should launch on stations starting in July. Pearson anticipated the slumped Promax attendance. Frank Piantini, Pearson's vice president of creative services, said, "All you had to do was pick up a newspaper and know a lot wouldn't be coming. It's the economy." However, Piantini said Pearson would find a way, either by phone or by traveling, to make sure they get out their Card Shark campaign.
