'Lucky Chance' for 2009 Challenger

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'Lucky Chance' for Challenger
TNT and Dodge will pair up in July for "Lucky Chance," a branded microseries produced by Espionage and Omnicom Group's Full Circle Entertainment. The 20-part series follows an undercover Drug Enforcement Agency agent named Lucky Chance who uses his 2009 Dodge Challenger to transport $50 million in four days to a mob boss threatening to blackmail him for a crime he didn't commit. The project began as a script written by Pete Pepe of Espionage and jointly developed with Full Circle, which pitched it to Turner as a branded mini-series. Linda Yaccarino, Turner Entertainment's exec VP-ad sales and marketing, said the project was developed through the same process as any of the network's other original dramas, with directors, writers, producers and ad clients all involved from day one. Consequently, AT&T also came onboard as an integrated sponsor for its global positioning system and will help Dodge cross-promote the series through on-air spots.

Dodge is using "Lucky Chance" as a launchpad for its national Challenger campaign, which will roll out later this year. Mark Spencer, senior manager of Dodge Communications, said the brand likely will use alternate footage from the "Lucky Chance" shoot as content for the car's other TV spots and online video ads.

Robert Riesenberg, president-CEO of Full Circle Entertainment, helped negotiate the Dodge and AT&T deal and, as the producer of "Chance," was able to change the traditional agency role in branded entertainment. As an Omnicom-affiliated production company, Full Circle offers projects to the holding company's brands on a first-look basis with a limited response window before offering it up to other agencies. Although Omnicom agency PHD was able to offer Dodge, Mr. Riesenberg ventured to WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia for AT&T.