Ellen DeGeneres launches app for brand extension, Ads served by Rhythm

January 28, 2010

Warner Bros. has launched an iPhone application for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in an effort to keep on-the-go fans connected with the daytime television host and comedian.

Fans of the talk show can get exclusive content via the Ellen application. The launch of the application was announced during the on-air birthday celebration for Ellen DeGeneres on Tuesday.

“The strategy is to give Ellen fans timely, easy and personal access to the best of everything Ellen from on-air and online in one convenient place,” said Natalie Farsi, vice president of mobile at Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Burbank, CA.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show is produced by A Very Good Production and WAD Productions Inc., in association with Telepictures Productions, and it is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

On-the-go Ellen
The application is described as a destination-based application because it has original content, Ms. Farsi said.

Warner Bros. claims that no other talk show brand has launched an application.

The Ellen application features original content created by Ms. DeGeneres via her iPhone.

Consumers can watch exclusive videos shot backstage of Ms. DeGeneres interacting with staff and guests.

The application was developed in partnership with Rhythm NewMedia and it features banner advertisements and pre-roll video ads.

Ms. Farsi said having a single ad-sponsor is not ideal for the application, as it does not meld with the consumer experience.

The Ellen application lets fans browse and navigate through her latest monologue, video clips, pictures from the show and read Ellen’s blog and Twitter updates.

Consumers can watch video in full-screen and select their next video while the current selection is playing, sort of like a picture-in-picture feature.

Additionally, after one video has completed, the application automatically plays the next video, letting consumers take in video content quickly.

The application features email sharing with friends and the ability to save favorite content while watching video to view again.

Ms. DeGeneres promoted the application to TV viewers and gave audience members free iPod touches.

Creating a mobile connection
Besides the on-air promotion, the application is being promoted via a multiplatform approach.

Ms. Farsi said the application has prominent placement in the Apple App Store. In addition, Warner Bros. is promoting the application via an online page takeover of Ellen’s Web site at http://ellen.warnerbros.com/ and a contest that is giving away 25 iPod touches.

The application is also being promoted via mobile alerts, newsletters and social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Tech-savvy, trendsetting women between 18-54-years-old is the target demographic for the application.

“Ellen is a powerful brand with an emotional connection,” Ms. Farsi said. “She has an engaging personality and a really unique take on everyday life.

“She invites viewers and online visitors to a relaxed candid environment and it was very important to extend that environment to the mobile platform,” she said.

“By featuring videos Ellen shot with her iPhone we’re giving users a unique glance into Ellen’s day and behind-the-scenes look at her practical jokes and her interacting with guests.”

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