May 6, 2008

2008 CableFAXIES Awards

CableFAX: The Magazine presents its annual salute to cable's best marketing and PR.

CableFAX: The Magazine's CableFAXIES Awards shouldn't be thought of as a way to pay tribute to an adjunct of the cable business, or an opportunity to recognize work that supports the somehow more tangible, essential, revenue-producing products wheeled out by cable operators and content producers. The CableFAXIES honor bread-and-butter business practices that just happen to be creative, but the emphasis is on business. A TV show will not be seen unless it is properly sold to affiliates, viewers and the media. A cable subscription will not be bought if the operator's marketing, public relations and community involvement efforts are not better than those hatched by satellite distributors and the telcos. This is business, plain and simple. As marketers and PR professionals know all too well, when a TV show tanks or cable subscribers churn, the marketing of the product often gets the blame. When a show's a hit or triple-play subscription sales are up, well, that's because the network's programming executives are risk-taking geniuses, or the operator's chief technical officer had some brainstorm in the wee small hours about optimizing broadband throughput.

We're here to rectify that imbalance by saluting cable's outstanding communications initiatives and programs. On the following pages you will read about the winners of this year's CableFAXIES in more than 20 marketing and public relations and public affairs categories, as well as the worthy honorable mentions in each category. The winners and honorable mentions were selected by the staff at CableFAX: The Magazine along with a panel of outside judges.

OK, we admit that good communications is more than just good business — it's good show business. Considering the sector we work in, the bar for communications efforts is quite a bit higher than it might be for, say, the dental care industry. So it's good show business that we're really honoring. With that in mind, we hope you enjoy the show.

View CableFAX: The Magazine's CableFAXIES issue
Watch video of Dan Rather at the CableFAXIES luncheon
(Download pdf of CableFAX: The Magazine's CableFAXIES issue.)

The 2008 CableFAXIES AWARD WINNERS
(click on the category to read about the winners and honorable mentions)

Marketers of the Year: Barbara Hedges and Jeff Gregor
   
PR Executive of the Year: Ellen Kroner
   
Public Affairs Executive of the Year: Dr. Libby Haight O’Connell

Advertising Campaign for a Single Program or Series: USA Network for The Starter Wife

Advertising Campaign for a Network or Cable Operator (tie):
Pico Adworks & Cablevision Mexico for “And With Your Dish, Do Whatever You Like”
MK Advertising for Showtime’s 2007 NCTA Campaign

Direct Response Marketing: Univision Communications for “Connect With Univision Networks”

Integrated Marketing Campaign (tie):
DIY Network for Blog Cabin
YES Network for Yankees HD

Marketing Campaign: Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia for Comcast SportsNet’s 10th Anniversary

Marketing of a New Series or Show: BBC America for Robin Hood

Marketing of a Continuing Series: TNT for The Closer, Season 3

Marketing of a Special or Documentary/Documentary Series: DIY Network for Celebrity Rides – Burt Builds a Bandit

Best Tchotchke: World Wrestling Entertainment for WWE HD Launch—HD Refrigerator

Multicultural Marketing: TBS for Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
   
Trade Show Marketing and PR: NBC Universal’s CES Booth

Use of Video or Moving Image: Tennis Channel for French Open Sizzle

Viral Marketing Campaign: A&E for FreakYourMind.com

Annual Report: Cox Arizona’s Community Involvement Report

Corporate Social Responsibility/Green Campaign (tie):
Cartoon Network for Rescuing Recess
NBC Universal for Green is Universal

Community Relations (tie):
Cox New Orleans for Volunteer New Orleans
NBC Universal for NBC Universal on the Set

Media Event: E! Entertainment for the EMA/E! Golden Green Party

Media Relations Campaign: TNT for The Closer

Press Kit: National Geographic Channel for Inside the Living Body/Incredible Human Machine

Programming Stunt: TV One for Roots’ 30th Anniversary

PR Stunt: A&E Television for Criss Angel Mindfreak Cement Block Demonstration

Public Affairs Campaign: MTV Networks for Channel the Change: Darfur


ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Editor’s Note: Food for Thought
Tom and Sumner should have ordered a good press release for lunch.

By the Numbers
A somewhat random look at digits influencing cable PR, marketing and branding.

Out and In
A brief look at trends cable PR and marketing Execs absolutely should know about.

Pop Quiz
PR and marketing execs pass through the CableFAX ring of fire.

HBO Campaigns for The Power of the Letter
HBO goes postal (in a good way) to publicize a pair of prolific and patriotic letter writers.

The End: A Look Ahead at PR and Marketing
We ask cable pros to tell us what’s coming our way.