Comedy Central has announced it is launching two web series: a four-part game show series called the Axe Dirtcathlon starring former Daily Show correspondent Rob Riggle, and the other an interview/talk show called The Download starring comedian Jordan Rubin and former Defamer blogger Molly McAleer. Dirtcathlon is sponsored by Axe Shower Gel and will focus on getting contestants getting dirty, while The Download is sponsored by Samsung and will focus on celebrity guests speaking on tech and Web-related topics.
I think we re living in a world now where, on digital platforms, the advertising expectation is for something original, said Erik Flannigan, the executive at MTVN Entertainment Group. They don t want to just be associated with something. They want to bring it you. So the marketplace demand for branded entertainment has gone up.
MTVN Entertainment Group created a sub-studio to focus on web content. While there are only five full time staffers involved, though more series are in production, including a show for Spike.
Branded advertorial content is not the explicit goal of this new production wing, but Flannigan indicates it is definitely on the company’s mind. In my ideal world, we solved two things at the same time. He added, Listen, it’s not going to work for the advertisers or for us if the audience rejects it and thinks we’re shilling and it s not funny.
Source: AdWeek
