LOS ANGELES The Disney Channel, looking for another High School Musical-size franchise, has put budding superstars The Jonas Brothers into a musical TV movie called Camp Rock, which debuts June 20. And for the first time, the cable network is buying ad time in theaters, via a deal with Screenvision.
The 30-second spot will air through June 19 before all G- and PG-rated films in the current moviegoing season. This will give the effort "prime advertising real estate with the maximum exposure possible in cinema in terms of available audience for viewing," said Mike Chico, Screenvision's evp, sales and marketing.
Disney has been working for many months to pump pop-rock teen band The Jonas Brothers (Kevin, Joe and Nick) as "the next big thing," including a recent performance on Fox's well-watched American Idol finale and one of the high-profile results editions of Dancing With the Stars.
The brothers toured in the past as the opening act for teen pop singer Miley Cyrus and plan their own tour this summer in advance of a new record in August. The Camp Rock soundtrack will be released a few days ahead of the movie's premiere, and its first single, "We Rock," has already debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.
Promotional videos sprinkled around YouTube of Camp Rock, the band members and their upcoming TV series J.O.N.A.S., having logged hundreds of thousands of views.
Camp Rock is "a huge priority for the network," said Richard Loomis, svp, marketing and creative at the Disney Channel. Snagging the premium pod -- running the spot before movie trailers -- makes the most of the cinema ad buy, he said.
Screenvision, which sells ad time on some 14,000 screens in such chains as Mann and Pacific Theaters, Carmike Cinema and National Amusements, works with a number of TV channels like Showtime, ABC Family, MTV and HBO. Network and cable channels are among the most aggressive cinema advertisers, particularly in the busy summer period when blockbusters draw desirable young audiences.
