Crackle held its Upfront yesterday, and the powers that be at Sony’s ad-supported streaming service made clear that they intend to build on an ambitious 2015 that saw the service’s first major foray into original scripted programming. First, the programming front: Along with renewing The Art of More, SuperMansion, and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Crackle will be launching an original drama series based on Snatch, Guy Ritchie’s 2000 heist film.
But the day’s most intriguing announcements centered on Crackle’s newest advertising initiatives. The company will be making its streaming library – along with customizable ad solutions – available via virtual reality platforms. Crackle will also be launching a new initiative that it’s calling Break-Free Advertising. Unlike the VR initiative, Break-Free Advertising has nothing to do with exploiting new and emerging platforms; it’s just a very clever idea. Under the initiative, Crackle will make 100% of the ad inventory for an entire 10-episode series available to exactly five advertisers.
There are a couple of ideas at play here: First, the five advertisers will have only four competitors over the course of ten full episodes; more real estate means more attention, and more viewer impact. The format is also meant to give brands the chance to craft an evolving story or message designed to play out over the course of a ten episode series. The theme of the day, ultimately, was the value of grabbing viewers’ attention. “If you can provide experiences that are immersive, people won’t just give you their time – they’ll give you their attention,” said Eric Berger, GM of Crackle and EVP Digital, Sony Pictures Television.