November 14, 2006 By Richard Williamson
DALLAS BooneOakley's ads for Dan Rather's debut on satellite network HDNet depict a microphone that resembles a hand grenade.
The full-page print ads that broke today are the first work by the
Charlotte, N.C., agency for HDNet. Based in Dallas and led by chairman
Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team), HDNet broadcasts
in high definition only.
After leaving CBS News this year as its longtime anchor, Rather joined
Cuban's network, where he will have full editorial control of a weekly
show airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
Print ads do not show Rather, but feature text under his name that
reads: "Always provocative. Always powerful. And that was before he had
editorial control."
Dan Rather Reports is the network's first major original series.
Ads are design to trumpet the show and underscore HDNet's commitment to
serious programming, the agency said.
The ads target a well-educated audience, and appear in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. They work will also target the media via TV Week.
Production credits go to creative director John Boone, creative
director and copywriter David Oakley, art directors Eric Roch von
Rochsburg and Brian Fink, and copywriter Dave Smith. R.J. Muna of San
Francisco handled photography.
BooneOakley is an independent agency whose other clients include Carmax, NASCAR, Bloom and SPEED.
