May 13, 2008 6:05 AM, PROMO Xtra, By Richard Tedesco

Two of NBC’s gladiators had a potato sack race at the Times Square barbecue.
Photo courtesy of NBCU Photo, Heidi Gutman.

Muscular members of “American Gladiator” braved a light rain in Times Square yesterday morning to boost the NBC All-American Summer programming lineup in a barbecue setting.

The midtown Manhattan scene mirrored the print ads the network has been running to promote its eight-show lineup of 287 hours as the prelude to its Beijing Summer Olympics coverage. “American Gladiators” leads off with a two-hour season debut tonight.

“I’ve worked in worse conditions,” said gladiator Siren with a smile as she proceeded from the makeshift greenroom to the barbecue set.

The gladiators struck the traditional strongman and strongwoman poses for the photographers, and even playfully hoisted John Miller, NBC chief marketing officer, who waxed philosophical about the distinctly un-barbecue-like weather conditions.

“Some things you can control, some things you can’t,” he said.

NBC’s pre-Olympic ratings is another one of those things it can’t control, but it’s certainly making a primetime play to challenge the Fox Network, this season’s broadcast ratings frontrunner, with some proven shows and several new reality-dominated offerings. It’s reprising the popular “America’s Got Talent,” along with “American Gladiators” and “Last Comic Standing.”

Siren promised “super-stunts you’ve never seen” during the latest run of the series.

In the stunt context, NBC plans to have planes dragging ‘NBC All-American Summer’ banners along west coast and east coast beachfronts every weekend through May and June.

“Nashville Star,” a country music talent search migrating from USA Network, was prominently plugged in the barbecue scene with a branded volleyball net. Other new reality shows include “Celebrity Circus,” featuring celebrities performing death-defying acts alongside circus performers and “The Baby Borrowers,” with teen-aged couples aspiring to parenthood by taking a dry run at it with someone else’s kids.

A 13-episode suspense and horror anthology, “Fear Itself,” featuring John Landis and other high-profile directors, rounds out the field.

None of the gladiators sampled the burgers and sausage on the barbecue under the Times Square tent. A sparse crowd of passers-by stopped to gawk at the gladiators and grab the gimmes, branded Frisbees and beach balls NBC was handing out.

They’ll be able to transmute themselves into gladiators by attaching their headshots to those sculpted torsos on NBC.com. And the Times Square raindrops didn’t dampen NBC expectations for the summer shows it will premiere at intervals through the end of June.

For more stories on event marketing

DON'T MISS AN ISSUE! PROMO Magazine provides insights into using promotion marketing as strategic, measurable component of an overall marketing mix. DON'T MISS OUT on "how-to" information on strategies and tactics successful marketers use to improve product sales and brand image. Renew your subscription Subscribe to the magazine Sign up for email newsletters

A panel of professionals answers your questions. Submit your questions.
		Michael McKelvie Gift Cards and Reward Cards
		Bob Bell Tie-in Partnerships
		Dave Hunt Rebates
		Bruce Hollander Sweepstakes
		Joel Parent Interactive
		Become an Expert More Info