Erik Candiani

When four news-producing TV stations in Richmond, Va., joined together in a promotional campaign pledging solidarity to the people of their city during this coronavirus crisis, little did they know that they would end up influencing “journalism on the other side of the globe.”

All four news-producing stations decided to join together to send one message to Richmond, Va., viewers. The campaign features the main on-air talent from each station in every spot airing on all four stations. The campaign also showcases each station’s logos and news vans in every spot. “This was a true top-to-bottom team effort. It was a pleasure to work so closely with the creatives in this market, and I am extremely pleased with the results,” said Erik Candiani, WWBT’s marketing director.

Erik Candiani, marketing director for Gray’s NBC affiliate, said this spot took the entire team to put together, running from one side of the DMA to the other, coming together to shoot 30 people. “This is the kind of message everyone needs right now,” said Candiani.

“The results of All Devices (Part II) have been worth it, and the response online has been incredible,” said Erik Candiani, about WWBT’s latest news promo. “Yes, it took a long time. Yes, it was a pain in the butt to pull off, but, people notice. And that’s our job as marketers, right? Get people to notice.”

Erik Candiani, WWBT Richmond’s creative services director, shared the station’s holiday-themed video, which he describes as “more of a festive short than a commercial or promo.”

WWBT’s latest marketing efforts are worthy of any movie trailer you might see in theaters. In fact, that’s just where they’re playing. “We produced two completely fake 60-second movie trailers in two different genres that will be playing before every single movie at Richmond Regal theaters all summer long,” said Erik Candiani, WWBT’s marketing director.

When you think about it, few careers demand you be creative every day as much as being in the marketing department of a TV station. So how do local TV creative services directors and marketing managers keep themselves and their staff from getting burned out, stuck? That was the mission of the first-time session, Unstuck, at the Promax Station Summit last week in Las Vegas. Check it out.