Salon.com Rolls Out Multi-Million Dollar TV Campaign

Salon.com launched its first national television advertising campaign, a $4 million, 10-week effort to be aired on the four major networks and cable.

The spot revolves around a grand ballroom party with the “strange bedfellows” that can only be found on a Web network like Salon.com.

Using computer-generated “floating heads” of celebrities profiled on Salon.com, the spot features such unlikely dance partners as Chris Rock and Linda Tripp and Janet Reno and Bill Gates.

Howard Stern chats with Martha Stewart, Pope John Paul II shares a toast with Courtney Love, and Marilyn Manson lets the champagne flow with Tipper Gore.

“We wanted to produce a commercial that showcased the diversity of the Salon.com network and reached out to new users, inviting them to experience Salon.com firsthand,” said Michael O’Donnell, Salon.com CEO and president.

The commercial was created by Odiorne, Wilde, Narraway & Partners, with computer enhancement by Western Images.

“It was important for us to capture Salon.com’s unique brand personality, especially in its first-ever television commercial,” said Jeff Odiorne, creative director at Odiorne, Wilde, Narraway.

“We’ve established an audience of over 1.3 million users with minimal advertising expenditures,” said O’Donnell. “By heightening the exposure of the Salon.com brand through this campaign, we hope to increase our audience.”

OWN clients include Electronic Arts, Joe Boxer, Online apartment search service SpringStreet and FogDog Sports.