Sony Sponsors Video Podcasts for CNN

In a rare move, Sony Pictures is sponsoring CNN video podcasts, becoming one of the first studios to sponsor the content.

The first campaign, which launched yesterday, will feature a weeklong promotion around the upcoming football drama Gridiron Gang, which stars World Wrestling Entertainment star Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, according to Reuters. Sony will support the campaign on CNN's Entertainment site with banner ads that feature the film, the report said.

The spots will run as preroll video ads on CNN video podcasts, including an upcoming series on health issues hosted by Sanjay Gupta.

CNN launched the video podcastings in June and has reported serving more than 4 million podcasts each month since. Sony is testing the waters with its sponsorship, sources said, for its appeal to reach a broad demographic and the strong correlation between video podcast viewers and moviegoers, according to Reuters.

For more coverage on interactive marketing
For more coverage on entertainment marketing