NEW YORK – Top television network BET will continue to showcase the twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda to international audiences following the renewal of the marketing partnership between BET Digital Networks, Antigua and Barbuda’s Carnival Development Committee and the Ministry of Tourism.
The partnership with BET will increase the islands’ publicity in the marketplace now that BET Jazz has re-launched the channel, re-naming it BET J, connecting with even more households in the United States. The channel is ideally positioned next to MTV and BET on Direct TV in the US.
Cybelle Brown, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BET Digital Networks, said she looks forward to another successful partnership with Antigua and Barbuda, which is currently benefiting from BET J’s new “Island Lime” format on Saturdays.
Under the new deal, BET J will produce two thirty-second promotional spots, one to promote the 2006 Carnival celebrations, and the other to promote a special BET “106 & Park” sweepstakes promotion, where the winner will gets two passes to the popular “106 & Park” show.
The Carnival promotion spot will air some 300 times on BET J, while a 30 minute television show featuring the summer Carnival, produced in partnership with the Carnival Development Committee, will air twice on BET, at least 12 times on BET J and once on MTV Digital Networks channels VH1 Soul and VH1 Classic.
“These new elements of the 2006 agreement should stimulate significant interest and we are very pleased with the added value that we have received,” said Neil Cochrane, Chairman of the Carnival Development Committee.
“It’s pretty difficult to get more value for the same money in today’s world and therefore we see the new deal as very positive for our Carnival and its continued development,” said Cochrane, who predicts the BET/ BET J partnership will be critical to the success of Antigua and Barbuda’s historic 50th anniversary Carnival celebrations next year.
