May 1, 2006 12:00 AM, By Amy Johannes

• CAMPAIGN: Criss Angel: MindFreak
• AGENCY: Civic Entertainment
• CLIENT: A&E Television Network

A&E had consumers rubbing their eyes in amazement when it staged a live event around its new real-life series Criss Angel: Mindfreak. And rightly so.

The network brought the escape artist directly to consumers via a 2,000-gallon, water-filled tank in New York City’s Bryant Park. Leveraging the tagline “Don’t believe your eyes,” a chained Angel had to escape from the sealed tank within 33 hours before he ran out of oxygen. Civic Entertainment Group, New York City, handled the event.

A&E filmed the “Oasis” stunt, which took place last July, for a special episode of the new series. The network typically doesn’t launch many live events, “but when we saw Criss and what he does, we had to do it,” says Stacy Krusch, director of strategic alliances and consumer promotion, A&E Television Network. “We wanted to wow people into getting them interested in watching the show.”

When Civic learned of its task, the agency designed an event that gave visitors an up-close-and-personal taste of what Criss Angel: Mindfreak was all about.

“It’s like the ultimate voyeurism,” Stuart Ruderfer, Civic Entertainment Group Co-CEO, says. “You could look in this tank and see this human being trying to stay alive. That’s exciting.”

Civic hyped up the main event via a weeklong, branded illusion at Grand Central Terminal. The agency, with interactive media company Reactrix Media Systems, turned Vanderbilt Hall into an illusionary hall of wonders, where visitors manipulated and interacted with images projected on the floor. Street teams also distributed more than 200,000 lenticular branded luggage tags.

As the event unfolded, A&E knew it was on to something when visitors returned to Bryant Park inquiring about Angel. “There was the thrill factor,” Krusch says. “Will he escape? It was something to see. It translated into great TV.”

When the big moment arrived, Angel disappeared from the tank and magically appeared on top of a Pontiac Torrent as part of Pontiac’s $3 million sponsorship of Mindfreak and of the event.

The automaker also sponsored an A&E sweepstakes tied to the show, which dangled a 2006 Torrent as the grand-prize. As a result, more than 250,000 consumers entered the sweeps.

“[Pontiac] challenged us to get creative with our programming and integration,” says Melinda McLaughlin, A&E’s senior VP-integrated sales and marketing. “We jumped at the chance to use every available media and resource we have. Criss Angel was the perfect brand environment for the young and edgy requisite.”

The event proved worthy. Criss Angel: Mindfreak premiere was the No. 1 rated original program of any cable network that night for consumers 25 to 54. The show was such a hit, A&E has renewed the series for a second season beginning May 31.

“The event ignited the spark that caught fire both on the streets of New York City and on the airwaves,” Ruderfer says. “You got to stoke the buzz. We felt we were able to do that.”

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