19 July, 2006
Fireworks to handle exclusive worldwide distribution and franchise for no.1 young male digital entertainment brand
LONDON July 19, 2006 — ContentFilm plc, owner of high-profile independent television distributor Fireworks International, and HEAVY, the world’s leading broadband entertainment network, have entered into an agreement for Fireworks to distribute all original and library programming created by HEAVY in all territories outside the United States. The agreement is for a period of three years and covers Heavy’s existing library of some 35 hours of programming, as well as new programming created during the agreement. The deal was announced today by John Schmidt, CEO of ContentFilm and Greg Phillips, President of Fireworks International, along with the co – CEOs of Heavy, Simon Assaad and Dave Carson.
Commenting on the agreement Simon Assaad, co-founder of Heavy said, “Tired of watching reruns of Law and Order in Tagalog? Tourettes Cowboy, The Massive Mating Game and Behind The Music That Sucks in Mandarin, Farsi and Canadian are only days away…our international audience has been begging for it, and ContentFilm is the answer to their prayers.”
John Schmidt commented “Heavy is emerging as one of the leading players in branded web content. Dave and Simon create programming that thrives in its internet home and then spreads and explodes onto other media platforms. We intend to create international partnerships for Heavy that give them an outlet for their programming and a web environment for their internet programming. Along with 12 million monthly viewers in the U.S., Heavy also has 1.1 million monthlies in Canada, 600,000 in the UK, 450,000 in Japan, 200,000 in Turkey for Pete’s sake. We intend to capture and expand that audience for Heavy with selected partners in key territories. The deal with Heavy is the first step in ContentFilm’s advance into the specialized world of new media.” Mr. Schmidt concluded, “Who is Pete, anyway?” Added Mr. Phillips, “The programming is irreverent, original and is perfect to unleash onto global television’s multi-media environment for both broadcast and localized web viewing. We look forward to an exciting challenge and a brilliant opportunity.”
So what and who is HEAVY? It is the world’s No 1 digital entertainment brand for 18-34 year old males producing off-the-wall programming for nearly 12 million unique viewers monthly (Nielsen) who view for an average of 30 minutes per session. It also boasts a viral reach of 65 million taste-challenged pop culture junkies. HEAVY statistics get heavier. In January, Nielsen/Net Ratings named HEAVY as the 7th Fastest Growing Web Brand. HEAVY’s programming is sassy, irreverent and not for the faint-hearted. Its programming staples include “BEHIND THE MUSIC THAT SUCKS”, “PIMP MY WEAPON”, “CONTAGIOUS”, “BLISSTER”, “TOURETTES COWBOY”, “THE MANLY MAN GAMES” and “THE MASSIVE MATING GAME”, to name a few.
HEAVY has already racked up a number of significant partnerships which have positioned the company as the one-to-watch on the radar screen of the financial markets and investment institutions. In a deal to provide TiVo with content for video-on-demand subscribers, HEAVY’s TiVo channel will reach over 500,000 subscribers. When Burger King approached HEAVY about sponsorship on their website, HEAVY came up with a unique advertising approach that involved asking regular video contributors to the HEAVY website to send in original videos they created using “King” masks that Burger King provided. The resulting hilarious and, sometimes provocative, videos were put on Heavy.com and made available for streaming and download to iPod video resulting in 4.4 million media impressions, 10+ million streams and 7,500 iPod video downloads. For the release of Sony’s “God of War” PlayStation game, HEAVY produced “Pimp My Weapon”, a show generated from the games assets using HEAVY’s exclusive ‘machinima’ – or machine animation. Supported by brand advertising including full screen interstitials and TV commercials, the campaign delivered 44 million impressions. In addition, each episode of “Pimp My Weapon” was a three-minute commercial for “God of War” and these episodes have been streamed over 10 million times. It was a huge success for Sony.
Whether delivering the numbers for VOD, mobile technology or directing customers to advertiser sites, this is the first time the broadband specialist has embarked on such a comprehensive global alliance that will make a large portion of their programming slate available to the whole broadcast spectrum. Fireworks International will launch the HEAVY brand immediately with a series of road shows beginning in September and culminating at MIPCOM 2006. Look out for it coming your way.
THE PROGRAMMING
BEHIND THE MUSIC THAT SUCKS – An in-depth look at the lives of artists whose music makes us want to flog ourselves with a wet noodle. Boldly goes past that danger point where VH!1 stops, looks around, and runs screaming. Features William Shatner, poor taste and bad music.
TOURETTES COWBOY – A unique animated show created out of international best selling video game titles from top game publishers which is then dubbed with new dialog. Called “machinima” or machine animation, it is a unique program created exclusively by Heavy. Full of sarcastic humor, the series mocks the cowboy from the game “Gun” by portraying him as suffering from Tourette’s syndrome. Viewed over 75 million times on Heavy, machinima is an international hit.
PIMP MY WEAPON – Also machinima and streamed over 10 million times, this series of short animations feature Kratos, a fearsome Spartan warrior “driven by pure revenge” from the Play station 2 video game “God of War”.
HEAVYNEWS – Over and beyond NBC’s dateline, Heavy.com takes the interviews to a whole different level.
THE MANLY MAN GAMES – The Man Show meets a VERY Special Olympics. The Manly Man Games is the Super Bowl for the ordinary guy, the Olympics for the couch potato pro. It’s the chance for every guy to compete for the gold on the national stage, no matter how ridiculous their ability might be. Hosted by comedians, “The Manly Games” will be to men what Pop Idol is to 12 year-old girls.
THE MASSIVE MATING GAME – The first “massively social game” – the updated version of “The Dating Game”. Each week, thousands of people on Heavy pick the women that they’d most like to date from a group of “Dream Girls”. The most popular Dream Girl then runs “The Massive Dating Game” over the next two weeks, whittling the dating pool down to just a lucky few – its endurance dating!
GANGSTER NANNY 911- Using gameplay from the Activision’s “True Crime 2” this new comedic machinima series is one not to be missed.
BLISSTER – Extreme sports and lifestyle in the most extreme way. Boarding, surfing, skating, riding, jumping out of planes, it’s all here…and then some. Includes pranks, stupid stunts and “how many people can drink 2 gallons of milk in 15 minutes without vomiting?”
PRESS COVERAGE
And it’s not for nothing that HEAVY has garnered more international headlines than Britney Spears’ love child to Pope Benedict XVI, or the 110 year old Masai warrior who took up hip-hop and six months later opened P.Diddy’s ‘Bling and you Miss’ Tour kicking off in Miami. Ok, ok so maybe it wasn’t Britney…here are some of the quotes:
“A website so hip it gets its laddies to watch the ads.” – March 27/06 THE NEW YORK TIMES
“HEAVY has spawned a wildly popular online parody….that leaves viewers staring in disbelief .”- AD AGE.COM
“The jokes with the sharpest teeth are at Heavy.com.” – ROLLING STONE
“The site operates a bit like a TV Network, albeit one that makes MTV look like PBS.” BUSINESS 2.0
“A colorful array of original and hosted content that appeals to the male pop culture junkie’s most twisted sensibilities.” – CREATIVITY MAGAZINE
“These cameo-rich mockumentaries feature the kind of hilariously ribald narrations that the real stories could use in healthy doses.” – ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“Heavy.com…one of the most consistently entertaining lineups on the Net. Your first stop should be Behind the Music That Sucks.” – TV GUIDE
“Secret marketing weapon.” – THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“…the video iPod is fast becoming a new advertising vehicle. Burger King is dipping its toes in the water by partnering with Heavy.com to offer consumer-generated videos extolling its brand icon, ‘the King.’” – July 2005, ADWEEK
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About Fireworks International: Fireworks International, a division of the UK’s ContentFilm plc, acquires and distributes an extensive slate of television programs and feature films throughout the world. Fireworks’ library of over 2000 hours of programming includes the new comedy drama The Jane Show, the mystery drama series Whistler, drama series Zoe Busiek: Wild Card, action/adventure series Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, Mutant X, Relic Hunter, and The Collector; children’s programs Black Hole High, 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, Caitlin’s Way and Streetsmartz, plus over 200 US network miniseries and TV movies of the week including Blonde for CBS and A Wrinkle in Time for ABC, along with some 100 feature films.
Press Contacts:
For Heavy.com The Morris + King Company Andy Morris / Lane Buschel 212-561-7465 / 212-561-7454 [email protected] [email protected]
For Fireworks International: Sam Witters Marketing Director ContentFilm 19 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BG Tel: +44 (0)20 7851 6518 Email: [email protected] www.contentfilm.com
