Photo via familymoments.walmart.com

"Vote With Your Remote" campaign drives family movie success

The highly-touted "family" TV movie, Secrets of the Mountain, captured the number one spot in its time slot with over 7.4 million viewers on Friday April 16. A nationwide "Vote With Your Remote" grass roots campaign helped Secrets trump Ghost Whisperer (4.4 million viewers), and is now driving robust Secrets DVD sales, demonstrating the huge audience appeal for quality family entertainment, it is said in the press release.

"A clear message has been sent," said Secrets executive producer, Ben Simon. "American families want more high-quality programming that they can enjoy together. We've heard their voice, and more great family movies are on the way."

Secrets of the Mountain is the first in a series of movies that the world's biggest retailer, Walmart, and the world's largest consumer products maker, Procter & Gamble (P&G), have partnered to produce.

Secrets'' TV success has carried over to Walmart stores where the Secrets DVD is being offered for a limited time at just $12, bundled with a CD soundtrack produced by Randy Jackson and featuring American Idol® winner Jordin Sparks, top 5 finisher Brooke White and many others.

Television audiences eager for high-quality family movies launched a "Vote With Your Remote" campaign to get families to watch Secrets, causing the movie to become one of Google's most-searched terms on the day of its TV premiere.

The "Vote with your Remote" program gives viewers a vehicle to voice their support for family entertainment and keeps them up-to-date on upcoming family-oriented movies and TV shows.

The next movie from the Walmart/P&G collaboration entitled The Jensen Project is set to broadcast July 16 on NBC.

For years, advertisers have been asking for better, broad-reaching family programs. In 1998, more than 40 marketers, including P&G and Walmart, formed the Alliance for Family Entertainment to push for more family-friendly shows. The Alliance has played a significant role in bringing 20 primetime programs to air, including hits The Gilmore Girls, Chuck, and Everybody Hates Chris, among others.

Research conducted by the Association of National Advertisers showed that ads were less effective when they appeared on shows containing sex, violence or drug abuse, and that only 23% of American parents are satisfied with the amount of family programming.

"The success of Secrets of the Mountain confirmed what our research has shown," says Simon. "Parents will support movies like this - so long as we make them available."

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TAGS: USA Secrets of the Mountain Vote With Your Remote campaign Walmart Procter & Gamble The Gilmore Girls Chuck Everybody Hates Chris

[05/07/2010]

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