This clip includes a promo for a Fleetwood Mac contest that was a part of MTV's first partnership to promote a new album. MTV began playing videos off the group's new album the day it was released in June, the band provided interviews to be used in music news segments, and to be put together in a documentary, and a “One Night Stand” contest brought a winner to see the band in concert.
This segment from MTV in November 1982, just a little over a year after launch, shows the ways in which MTV could help advertisers associate themselves with rock through specific sponsorships, but also immersion in MTV's flow. The music news includes a story on the Rolling Stones, then tour dates for the Who, sponsored by Schlitz. After this, a Schlitz ad featuring the Who plays, and again mentions the sponsorship. The MTV promo to listen in Stereo also features the Rolling Stones. Though not a part of the clip, which ends with the beginning of a song by the group Translator, the next song in the flow was actually The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up."
This video includes edits together clips taken from two hours of flow in the first week of November 1983. All result from MTV’s marketing partnership with the Police. VJ Mark Goodman gives tour dates, then reappears to show the special MTV/The Police muscle t-shirt you can order. About 20 minutes later, after The Police's video "Synchronicity II" plays, Goodman introduces a news segment which features VJ Martha Quinn introducing the band in Miami.
One of MTV's first forays into movie premiere-based programming, this clip is from the premiere of Pee Wee's Big Adventure in 1985. It features a live performance from Pee Wee's costar, E.G. Daily, followed by VJ Mark Goodman chatting with Alice Cooper and Eddie Murphy. Then VJ Alan Hunter ushers in a number of starlets to kiss Pee Wee. Finally, a music video produced for the film, but which does not standalone enough to appear in typical MTV video flow, is shown. MTV learned that partnerships with studios for a premiere, paired with an ad buy, could result in cheap programming—during which more commercials could be sold.
This Swatch ad features some of the same shots of the Belouis Some video which serves as its soundtrack. Models wearing Swatch clothing and multiple Swatch watches dance around the same figures and scenes as in music video. This is understandable, given that alternate takes featuring dancers and extras in Swatch gear were shot at the same time of the video. Some himself says “You better Swatch yourself,” at the end. In September 1985, you could see the Swatch ad and the music video on the same day.
When Batman ushered in a new era of blockbuster superhero movies in 1989, it happened with the assistance of a full marketing partnership with MTV. Aside from Prince's "Batdance" video, there were commercials for the film, news about it included on The Big Picture, and a contest to win the Batmobile used in the film. This promo includes clips from the film, an actor from the film, and also attempts to simulate the film’s neo-noir look.
MTV’s Big Picture was a halfhour assemblage of interviews, previews, and behind-the-scenes footage promoting new Hollywood releases. The series attempted to remain true to the MTV brand through short segments, humor, and a soundtrack borrowed from music video clips. In this clip from 1990, Tom Hanks discusses the plot of his new film, Joe Vs. the Volcano, while “Plot Synopsis” flashes on-screen.
By the early 1990s, MTV had a number of different series which could integrate marketing for movies in their programming. One example was Yo! MTV Raps, which in this clip was sponsored by the Eddie Murphy movie Boomerang. In this single clip of flow, you can see these segments as well the sometimes disparate tone of ads. Here there is one for St. Ides malt liquor, followed by a Certs breath mints ad with comedian Rita Rudner, followed by a Nintendo ad.
