Upfront with REELZ

CynopsisPresents: Upfront with REELZ
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Bill Rosolie, SVP of Advertising Sales for REELZ, makes the case for why the independent network, having found its “sweet spot,” provides great value for advertisers.

Cynopsis: What is REELZ’ message to advertisers this Upfront season? 

Bill Rosolie: REELZ offers advertisers ­surprising value. Our commitment to a celebrity brand as stated in our tagline – Real Lives. Real Stories. Real Celebrities® – continues to attract a growing number of viewers and a valuable loyal female upscale audience. If you are looking for efficiency vs. the general marketplace, targeted GRPs, flexibility and a safe environment REELZ should be part of your advertising mix.   

Cynopsis: What does REELZ offer advertisers that other networks don’t?

Rosolie: REELZ delivers a unique audience of engaged celebrity enthusiasts and continues to provide unmatched sales service with respect to audience delivery and flexibility. As an independent network we strive to treat every agency and client relationship as a partnership.  

Cynopsis: What has the response been from advertisers so far?
 
Rosolie: Building on our strong foundation of brand partnerships, we have added more than 75 new advertisers in the last year and a half alone. There’s no word for the advertiser response other than remarkable. 

Cynopsis: What new categories do you hope to break?

Rosolie: Without compromising our commitment to outstanding service and to our advertising partners we have room to grow wider in auto, non-brick and mortar specialties and any advertiser that is driven by ROI, which is right in the REELZ wheelhouse.
 
Cynopsis: How has the REELZ programming strategy evolved over the past years?

Rosolie: Having found our sweet spot, REELZ has doubled down on our commitment to original programming, which now accounts for 97% of our schedule. The proportion of originals is extraordinary for any network and, as a leading independent network, one of which we are immensely proud. We are a unique celebrity brand driven by storytelling. Our tagline says it all – Real Lives. Real Stories. Real Celebrities®.

Cynopsis: What is the network’s ratings story?

Rosolie: REELZ has bucked the industry trend by delivering three consecutive years of audience growth among key demos of adult and women.

Cynopsis: What’s the buzz this Upfront season?  

Rosolie: As Yogi Berra said, we expect “déjà vu all over again.” TV continues to work better than any other medium for advertising return so the dollars will be there.  We expect a very strong Upfront.   

Cynopsis: What do people not know about your network that they really should?


Rosolie: As audiences continue to fragment, advertisers need to get to know the independents and REELZ should be at the top of the list. There is an increasing value in long-tail networks as they have become an important part of the media mix. Since 2008 the long-tail networks, most of which are independent, have tripled their proportion of national cable GRPs to 24%.

Cynopsis: What are clients saying?


Rosolie: Agencies affirm that our commitment to working closely with our advertisers as partners to meet their objectives is working. Most agencies have already begun a dialogue with us for the 18/19 Upfront and we are very optimistic. They give us credit for exceptional sales service, outpacing industry gains and delivering an increasingly more valuable audience. 

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Related Topics: Special Editions

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