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

This Week on Talk Shows: May 20th – May 24th

As summer quickly approaches, networks will dish out the last of their midseason offerings this week. New drama premieres from Fox and NBC this week include The Goodwin Games and Save Me.
 
Fox’s The Goodwin Games has had some struggle this year finding a spot on the network’s schedule. With a reduced episode order and late premiere, the series will have to perform very well to secure a future on the channel next season. Still, with a solid cast and interesting plot revolving around three siblings who must compete in a series of challenges in order to win their late father’s inheritance, the series could prove intriguing enough to warrant interest from audiences. The Goodwin Games premieres Monday, May 30th at 8:30pm.
 
Save Me on NBC sees Anne Heche return to network television for the first time since her recurring role on Everwood in 2005. The new series sees Heche become a direct pipeline to God following a near-death experience. Save Me premiere on NBC Thursday, May 23rd at 8pm.
 
You can check out this week’s talk show guests after the jump.
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May 20, 2013 | Comments: 0

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
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