NBC´s weight-loss series THE BIGGER LOSER is throwing a national "House Party™" this Saturday across 1,000 homes in cities around the country to pump up its special 90-minute second-season premiere on September 13 (8-9:30 p.m. ET).
"THE BIGGEST LOSER House Party" campaign has recruited 1,000 of the most qualified hosts across the country to welcome a suggested number of 10 guests each to an exclusive celebration at their home on Saturday, September 10 armed with promotional materials from NBC. House Party, Inc. (www.houseparty.com), a Web-based media company, is the people-powered media channel for launching new entertainment releases at home and on the Internet. House Parties ´eventize´ a program´s premiere before it airs, putting the show into the hands of thousands of its most influential consumers, feeding enthusiasm for the show and equipping the fans to spread waves of online excitement to millions of others. House Party has designed and will execute the effort for NBC. For its part, NBC provided marketing databases and used on-air and online promotion throughout nbc.com to recruit the 1,000 hosts.
"As we approach the second season debut, we want to create a ground-swell of excitement and anticipation among the core fans who have been inspired and helped by this special series," said Sharon Merle-Lieberman, Director of Strategic Partnerships, The NBC Agency. "Combined with our partners, House Party, Inc., we are creating a truly "people powered" event that can draw thousands of participants and develop new fans as we reach out to a larger grassroots audience. We hope these multiple get-togethers will generate many more fans by word-of-mouth."
For the parties, NBC will furnish a customized copy of the first episode in advance -- one that does not compromise the ending elimination -- but will compensate with a special opening and closing message by Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, the respective hosts and trainers of the rival Red and Blue teams. New contestants profiles and remarks from Kelly Minner and Ryan C. Benson from the first season will also be included in the special first episode.
In addition, a tutorial from House Party provided online at www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/houseparty - will offer suggestions to ambitious hosts on how to throw a great screening party. "THE BIGGEST LOSER House Party" site will supply all the tools necessary to send out printable and electronic invitations, post and share photos and video, set up a blog and send reminder e-mails. NBC will also send the hosts accompanying "party kits" that include such "swag" as a show-branded yoga mat, towel and dry erase board, a jump rope and a set of yoga straps. Attendees will receive copies of Prevention, Men´s Health and Women´s Health magazines plus trial memberships for 24 Hour Fitness gyms (where applicable).
To add to the excitement, trainers Bob and Jillian, and former contestants will make special appearances at some of the parties.
Some of the cities currently scheduled to hold "BIGGEST LOSER HOUSE Parties" include:
Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, San Jose, CA, Boston, MA, Dallas, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Columbus, OH, Providence, RI, Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, NV, Hartford, CT, Birmingham, AL and Nashville, TN.
The first reality series in which everybody "loses," THE BIGGEST LOSER offers severely overweight participants the opportunity to undergo a radical physical makeover without any kind of surgery. Caroline Rhea returns to host the second season of the series that challenges and encourages overweight contestants as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000 in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise.
THE BIGGEST LOSER provides the 14 strong-willed yet hopeful contestants with challenges, temptations, weigh-ins and eliminations until the final contestant remains to claim the title of "the biggest loser." Each team works out under the supervision of professional trainers Michaels and Harper.
