Ericsson rolls out CNN promotion effort

L.M. Ericsson’s courtship of Turner Broadcasting System International continues to roll on; CNN International, of which Turner is the parent, plans to air six, 60-minute films exploring technology in the future that will be sponsored by the infrastructure powerhouse.
The “Just Imagine” series is set to run for six months and conclude with a half hour special documentary that will task six visionaries to paint a picture of the future, according to the companies. The Ericsson campaign will involve sponsorship as well as the special series’ Web site. The sponsorship is just part of the two companies’ relationship; CNN will stand as Ericsson’s main advertising partner for 2007, the company said.
Earlier this year, Ericsson announced a partnership with Turner to develop and deliver Turner’s suite of news and entertainment content to the world of mobile. The companies launched the new CNN mobile service across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
“It is great news that Ericsson has chosen CNN as its main advertising partner throughout 2007. The thought-provoking content of ‘Just Imagine’ fits well with Ericsson’s forward-thinking positioning, which resonates with CNN’s influential and global audience,” said Max Raven, VP of ad sales for CNN International.
Network providers and operators have been flooding into the content-delivery game. Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. has moved into mobile television with its MediaFLO broadcast television service. Handset behemoth Nokia Corp. has tested a variety of content services; the company is experimenting in music with its LoudEye storefront and played in mobile gaming via its N-Gage device and platform. A few years ago, Motorola Inc. teamed up with July Systems to try to operate a mobile storefront. Ericsson, through its joint venture with Sony, recently moved into mobile music with its M-BUZZ effort.