ABC TELEVISION ANNOUNCES "ABC START HERE," ITS FIRST EVER NETWORK-WIDE MULTIPLATFORM BRANDING INITIATIVE

Campaign Designed to Promote ABC's Multiplatform Offerings

New Look Debuts This Summer Spanning All Dayparts of ABC

ABC today announced that it will make it easier for viewers to find their favorite shows across a growing variety of platforms. The new "ABC Start Here" campaign is the first ever network-wide multiplatform navigation branding initiative, guiding ABC viewers across the network's vast offerings and spanning all dayparts, including Primetime, Daytime, Late-Night and News.

"As an industry leader in the digital revolution, ABC has evolved into a multiplatform experience that serves viewers well while building the broadcast network," said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks, president, Disney-ABC Television Group. "This campaign reinforces the message that great TV starts with ABC, no matter how or where you watch it. We're inviting viewers to start with us and giving them an easy way to stay connected with our programming across various platforms."

The goal of the initiative is to help consumers quickly identify and locate their favorite entertainment and news programming on television and beyond. The strategy applies the navigation and accessibility benefits of a "web-portal" to the growing number of platforms where ABC content can be found to provide an ABC-branded road map to all the network's programming, franchises and content. In addition to connecting fans to their favorites, the system will also expose viewers to new content of which they may not have been aware. And, when audiences want more, they will now have an easy way to find programming, information and content that is new and unique to each platform.

"Navigating through all of the available content can be cumbersome, confusing and time consuming," said Michael Benson and Marla Provencio, executive vice presidents, Marketing, ABC Entertainment, who developed and spearheaded the campaign. "In a world that has become proliferated with technology and platforms, 'ABC Start Here' positions ABC and all of its dayparts for the future, giving consumers their favorite programming and all available platforms under one umbrella."

The branding includes a new tagline, "ABC Start Here." This call-to-action asks users to start their viewing experience with ABC. Whether it's via TV, online, mobile, DVD, iTunes, or any other platform, the message is consistent: ABC is the place to start to find the very best in entertainment and news content.

Using a modular icon system that is tied to the ABC logo, the consumer-oriented strategy simplifies navigation at many access points, proving information to viewers in what has become an increasingly cluttered world of media. This enhancement will give consumers a unique, clear and consistent set of visual tools to help them find new/additional content and information from one platform to the next.

The easily recognizable icons will inform consumers of all platforms and will include icons representative of ABC.com, CD, DVD, mobile, shopping, plus many more. Examples of the icons' many uses include on-air during programming to denote that a show is available on ABC.com; during a reality series to prompt viewers to vote; on ABC.com to alert consumers that an item (DVD, CD, etc.) is available for purchase; plus, icons will be used off-air in print ads and other media to make consumers aware of all of the platforms where they can find ABC content.