And you thought she was just a sitcom star. In the coming weeks, you'll see Jenna Elfman juggle, flip head over heels on a trampoline, do a hip-swiveling Hula Hoop routine, and (more sedately) do card tricks and swing on a swing: all part of a major promotional blitz Twentieth Television is putting together to promote the off-network launch of Dharma & Greg
on Sept. 23.
The irrepressible Elfman did all the routines herself a couple of weeks ago in New York (Crossroads Productions created the promo spots).
Stations airing the show, including WPIX(TV) New York and WGN-TV Chicago, will start getting promo materials in a couple of weeks. The campaign officially launches July 15.
Ironically, Elfman doesn't have a speaking role in the spots promoting her show. She does all the action, and then there's a different tagline for each spot. The juggle spot, for example, ends with the voiceover, "Catch it … five days a week."
Fox has also licensed some music from some up-and-coming new acts (Lisa Eckdahl and Pepe Deluxe) that are just breaking into the U.S. pop-music scene. Appearing in these promos could end up being their big break, says Matthew Pugliese, VP, advertising and promotion, Twentieth Television. Up-and-coming keeps their rights costs down, he notes.
In addition to the Elfman spots, there will be two sets of clip shots of the ensemble cast: a racier set designed for use in prime time and late night, and a "safer" set for daytime use, says Pugliese.
Twentieth is also a planning a watch-and-win radio contest for the top 10 or 20 markets. Also in the works is a cross-promotion tie-in with a third-party advertiser. Details will follow once the advertiser signs on the dotted line.
