AMC Networks' Dinner with the Stars: Upfront News and Views

Venue Skylight Clarkson North at 572 Washington St near the West Side Highway the first site of TechCrunch39s annual Disrupt NY festival If you didn39t notice the checkin table walking up or down the street you could have passed this event by However once a freight elevator brought you to the second floor there was no doubt about the destination Three spacious rooms were used one for networking and plentiful appetizers with monitors and movie theatertype posters from various series one for dinner and the formal presentation with elegant tables throughout and enormous video walls on either side and the third for afterpresentation appetizers drinks and plentiful photo opportunities Plenty of room to circulate or stop and take in the action Grade 45 JacksPresentationamp160 Each channel39s ability to consistently engage or impress viewers was the overriding talking point starting with the welcoming remarks by AMC Networks National Ad Sales President Scott Collins pictured at top during the cocktail hour quotYou39re on a search for impressions and we39ve been right there with youamp8221 he told the crowd amp8220Now we39re also on a search for engagementquotamp160 The more engaged viewers are the surer the bet they will not skip ads within the programs they watch With five networks in tow there39s a wider opportunity for sponsors to maximize their impact with viewers quotUpfronts have become magic shows for individual networksquot he continued quotBut its magic content people care aboutamp160 You don39t want viewers to be indifferent to your adsamp8221 Before attendees headed to the next room Collins invited six to eight companies in key product categories to combine their future AMC Networks buys with charter participation in a data platform showing how those buys perform compared to the entire TV universeFrom there AMC brought back one of the key features behind its last Upfront goroundamp160 A sitdown multicourse dinner with stars and showrunners circulating to different tables Each table had three personalities during the meal one for each course appetizer entree and dessert My table had in order Amanda Peet of IFCamp8217s Brockmire Lilamp8217 Romeo of WEamp8217s Growing Up Hip Hop and Samuel Barnett of BBC Americaamp8217s Dirk Gently39s Holistic Detective Agency amp160Also before each course AMC executives reviewed current and upcoming series at different channels For the second straight time AMC President Charlie Collier was the foil of a bit involving The Walking Dead amp160There was no zombie ambush midspeech this time as happened two years ago instead TWD star Norman Reedus challenged Collier not to mention TWD AMC39s megahit series in his remarks for 100 per minute Challenge accepted with 1200 made in the bargain A montage of and by TWD fans was one video highlight Another was a segment from BBC Americaamp8217s Planet Earth II with an iguana being chased by hordes of deadly snakes that seemingly doomed somehow escapes drawing cheers and applause from the audience quotI39ve seen this 250000 times and at that moment it gets the same reactionquot acknowledged BBC America President and General Manager Sarah Barnettamp160 Grade 5 JacksNews amp160Brockmire makers Funny or Die will launch an original night of programming on IFC this fall It39s the first time any organization has put together a project of this nature for the channel Specific show details are forthcoming Sundance TV thanks to a deal with Amazon Studios will become the second home for EmmyPeabodywinning Transparent this summer The first two seasons of Jill Soloway39s creation will be offered with commercial breaks amp160At least three scripted series will debut on AMC this year The Terror McMafia and Loaded and two in 2018 The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and Lodge 49 Growing Up Hip Hop will soon get a spinoff set in Atlanta Grade 35 JacksHost amp160Nothing less than an Agame from each host Collins Collier Barnett WE tv President Marc Juris and IFC President Jennifer Caserta quotI couldn39t sneak off to bowl with the cast of The Americansquot Caserta quipped in reference to FX running its annual bowling party plus starstudded Fargo Season 3 screening the same night quotIt was all worth itquot she addedamp160 All of their presentations were engaging entertaining and to the pointamp160 Grade 45 JacksStar Time amp160More than I could count with all five networks well representedamp160 Nobody I saw went away dissatisfied amp160If Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany had been there it would have been perfect amp160Grade 45 JacksCuisine amp160So good that a number of people were completely satisfied from the opening appetizers alone Best eats Peking duck wonton sushi with dipping crumbles both opening appetizers and chilled tomato basil soup sip at the dinner table Worst eat Chicken verde needed some spiceamp160 Grade 4 Jacks Note Cuisine ratings do not count in the overall Jacks scoreInnovative Opportunity amp160IFC39s upcoming Funny or Die primetime night amp160It will gives sponsors a unique ability to multiplatform two brands at once IFC and Funny or Die Grade 35 JacksOverall Grade amp16045 Jacksamp160 To quote a Broadway song classic quotsome enchanted eveningquot amp160High quality in all the key aspects and kudos to all the talent for letting attendees get to know themNext up Azteca AmericaA quick overview of our Jacks scaleamp160 5 Jacks amp160Excellent 4 Jacks Very Good 3 Jacks amp8211 Good 2 Jacks amp8211 Fair 1 Jack amp160Poor 0 Jacks Don39t go thereClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this article are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggers

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

AMC Networks' Dinner with the Stars: Upfront News and Views

Author

Publish date

Channel

Archived in

Simon Applebaum

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

AMC Networks' Dinner with the Stars: Upfront News and Views

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Simon Applebaum

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

Cookies