March 2002 - October 2006
Promotions [2]
BBC One promotional trails.
Above: BBC One promotional trail [1].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [2].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [3].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [4].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [5].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [6].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [7].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [8].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [9].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [10].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [11].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [12].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [13].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [14].
Above: BBC One promotional trail [15].
Stampeding horsemen ambushing a village and a woman flung over a cliff top, desperately clinging on. Just as she's losing her grip, an onlooker leans forward. Is he going to help, or just help himself to another biscuit?
'Cliffhanger' - the follow-up to 2002's roof-vaulting 'Rush Hour' - was broadcast for the first time at 7.30pm on Tuesday May 27 2003. The 90-second trail was a piece of period action played out before a contemporary couple watching the action as it went on around them.
"We've moved our strategy on," explained Christine Madden, head of marketing for BBC One. 'Rush Hour' was visually engaging; this is emotionally engaging. "Viewers are catapulted into the action." Madden says that the effect is "epic".
"The trail is part of a new marketing strategy for BBC One across radio and TV...as well as through a national poster campaign, which aims to engage our viewers with this spectacular film in a way that is as involving as our programmes," says Madden.
However, less than 24 hours after its first airing, the trail was pulled from the schedule, following complaints from viewers that it was distressing. The 90-second trail showed a contemporary couple watching a drama unfolding in front of them, which ended with a woman hanging on to a cliff. Rather than help the woman, the couple were seen simply looking on, with the tagline 'Everyone Likes To Watch'.
Following almost 400 viewer complaints, the sequence was reviewed. The BBC told audiences that the trail was meant to be attention-grabbing but "certainly not offensive or distressing", and apologised to viewers who were taken by surprise or distressed by the trail.
"This trail follows on from trails about BBC One last year which viewers tell us they have enjoyed. They are meant to be attention-grabbing but they are certainly not meant to be offensive or distressing. We have listened very carefully to viewers responses yesterday and we will not be showing the trail again until further consideration can be given to whether it should be edited. We are very sorry if viewers were taken by surprise or were distressed by the trail," the BBC said.
The trail was not aired again.
'Cliffhanger' - the follow-up to 2002's roof-vaulting 'Rush Hour' - was broadcast for the first time at 7.30pm on Tuesday May 27 2003. The 90-second trail was a piece of period action played out before a contemporary couple watching the action as it went on around them.
"We've moved our strategy on," explained Christine Madden, head of marketing for BBC One. 'Rush Hour' was visually engaging; this is emotionally engaging. "Viewers are catapulted into the action." Madden says that the effect is "epic".
"The trail is part of a new marketing strategy for BBC One across radio and TV...as well as through a national poster campaign, which aims to engage our viewers with this spectacular film in a way that is as involving as our programmes," says Madden.
However, less than 24 hours after its first airing, the trail was pulled from the schedule, following complaints from viewers that it was distressing. The 90-second trail showed a contemporary couple watching a drama unfolding in front of them, which ended with a woman hanging on to a cliff. Rather than help the woman, the couple were seen simply looking on, with the tagline 'Everyone Likes To Watch'.
Following almost 400 viewer complaints, the sequence was reviewed. The BBC told audiences that the trail was meant to be attention-grabbing but "certainly not offensive or distressing", and apologised to viewers who were taken by surprise or distressed by the trail.
"This trail follows on from trails about BBC One last year which viewers tell us they have enjoyed. They are meant to be attention-grabbing but they are certainly not meant to be offensive or distressing. We have listened very carefully to viewers responses yesterday and we will not be showing the trail again until further consideration can be given to whether it should be edited. We are very sorry if viewers were taken by surprise or were distressed by the trail," the BBC said.
The trail was not aired again.
Above: BBC One promotional trail [16] - Cliffhanger.
