Octagon First Call
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About First Call

                  Our team helps brands, their agencies and nonprofit organizations by assessing the business value of celebrities, negotiating smart partnerships and activating each program. We provide fast and accurate information and recommend talent based on many factors including their relevance, points of differentiation and cost. The results of our work are seen as television commercials, » Read More

The Blog

Guest Post: Bloggers and YouTubers with Brand Deals

This is a guest post from our awesome intern Janelle Wallace.
 
In today’s digital era, it is not uncommon to see your favorite fashion blogger on the pages of your favorite magazine or your favorite YouTuber in a national ad campaign.  Now more than ever the lines are blurred between celebrities and online personalities and many brands are seeing this as an opportunity to reach highly engaged markets.  Popular bloggers and YouTube personalities often have devoted followers in niche markets that brands can leverage.
 
Startup, Outrigger Media, has even partnered with digital agency Digitas to introduce the new tool Emerging Talent Tracker.  According to Michael Learmonth of Ad Age, “Outrigger's analytics platform OpenSlate tracks 50,000 channels and 25 million videos on YouTube and assigns them a score based on their engagement with their audience, how frequently they produce new content and their influence.” This tool allows brands to identify future YouTube stars before they hit it big in order to build relationships with these stars early.
 
There is no doubt that we have only seen the beginning of this marketing approach.  Check out this list of some “new media celebrities” and the brands they have partnered with:
 
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May 14, 2013 | Comments: 0

This Week on Talk Shows: May 13th – May 17th

After 9 years, The Office is going out of business. The hit comedy will end its run on NBC this Thursday with a one-hour series finale. The show has helped is stars launch and extend their careers, opening opportunities in film, other television projects and brand work.
 
There is much speculation as to whether or not former series star Steve Carrell will make a surprise appearance in the finale, but regardless, the hour is sure to tie up loose ends and give its characters and stories proper send offs.
 
The series finale of The Office airs this Thursday at 9pm on NBC.
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May 12, 2013 | Comments: 0

Most Marketable Moms

Mother’s Day is this Sunday so hurry up and get those cards in the mail!  In honor of the holiday, we took a look at some of the most marketable celebrity moms.  Here’s an overview of some of the deals  these moms have been involved with:
 
Alicia Keys
BlackBerry (2013)
Greater Than AIDS (2012)
Reebok (2012)
Lifetime (2011)
Hope for Haiti Now (2010)
MySpace (2008)
 
Angie Harmon
UNICEF (2013)
Stand Up to Cancer (2012)
Hidden Valley (2011)
Advil (2010)
Purex & Kiva (2009)
 
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May 9, 2013 | Comments: 0

Our thoughts on Jason Collins’ Marketing Potential

Jason Collins' national awareness and appeal have increased considerably over the past week. And similar to Tim Tebow when he began his NFL career, his future marketing potential is greater outside of his actual sport than inside of it. Marketing within his sport will be based on his performance and personality on the court. Marketing outside of his support will be based on his awareness, appeal and emotional connection to a product and the customer base. The one company that can join these two platforms is Nike – they live and breathe basketball yet their message is often more broad than the sport. Their Charles Barkley I Am Not a Role Model is a perfect example of this type of marketing campaign.
 
 
May 6, 2013 | Comments: 0

The Marketing Force of Iron Man 3

The summer blockbuster season is upon us and that means one thing- superheroes. If we learned one thing from last summer’s box office draw, it’s that superheroes bring in the cash. 2013 will be no different, with another slew of comic- and Sci-Fi-inspired films hitting theaters in the coming months including The Wolverine, Star Trek Into the Darkness and Man of Steel. This means we’ll also see plenty of marketing tie-ins from major brands looking to leverage the mass appeal of these blockbusters for added visibility.
 
It all kicks off this week with the release of the much-anticipated Iron Man 3. The third film in the Iron Man series, Iron Man 3 is the first Marvel film to hit theaters following last summer’s mega-hit The Avengers and will continue the story that has already been established in that universe. The film has already outperformed The Avengers in its overseas premieres, collecting nearly $200 million since it premiered internationally earlier this month.
 
 
Check out some of the marketing partners attached to Iron Man 3, which hits theaters nationwide this Friday, May 3.
 
Alcatel One Touch- Alcatel One Touch is the official smart phone of Iron Man 3. The phone will be prominently featured throughout the film, and the company is using the Iron Man character in online and print advertising.
 
Audi- Audi will also be prominently featured throughout the film, and Audi has used Robert Downey Jr. (in character as Tony Stark) in an exclusive trailer/commercial spot for Audi. Audi also hosted the film’s various red carpet premieres, with Downey Jr. even making his entrance at the Hollywood premiere in an Audi.
 
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May 2, 2013 | Comments: 0
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