Media Release

CNN Experience Showcases Premium Advertising Offerings, Live Content, Purpose-Driven Storytelling, Original Series and Innovation in Election Year, Beyond

Experience Touts Upcoming CNN Original Series Featuring Ravi Patel and Stanley Tucci,
Courageous Studios and Xandr Collaboration for Addressable Advertising and CNN Business’ Foreseeable Future Event Series

Event photos for press use can be found here.

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – CNN, a division of WarnerMedia, brought together marketers, agencies, media and industry influencers Thursday night to highlight the brand’s storytelling and advertising capabilities during a pre-Upfront designated event titled the CNN Experience. Multi-platform content reigned supreme as the publisher presented how partners can engage with desired audiences across CNN, CNN International, CNN.com, CNN Original Series, CNN Business, CNN’s branded content studio Courageous Studios, CNN Audio and CNN Politics for the 2020 Presidential Election and 2021. 

Joe Hogan, EVP of Sales and Marketing, who welcomed the crowd, spoke to the holistic nature of the CNN brand and noted the importance of connecting consumers and advertisers to what matters most. “With one of the most important elections of our lifetimes ahead, it’s critical that our partners’messages are surrounded by trust. CNN’s newsroom coverage has always been rooted in integrity and truth, and that will remain true as the future of the news and advertising marketplace unfolds,” said Hogan.

Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports & President, CNN Worldwide joined CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper in conversation about the power of live storytelling and facts-first, trusted journalism. Zucker shared insights into the current news environment, noting more than 93% of CNN’s viewership watches live programming. “News matters to the consumers CNN reaches across the world, and we see attentive audiences tuning in and engaging in real-time across a multitude of platforms. CNN offers advertisers a unique opportunity to share in a trusted environment during key cultural milestones,” said Zucker.

Additional highlights from the event included:

  • Courageous Studios – CNN’s branded content studio – launched nearly five years ago and, in 2019 alone, created more than 500+ award-winning branded content campaigns. Today the studio announced the ability to deliver branded content on the largest addressable TV footprint in the U.S. in partnership with sister company Xandr. Courageous Studios can now use its creative resources to develop various iterations of content for advertisers for distribution across Xandr’s addressable TV footprint. Courageous shared partnership opportunities for attendees interested in executing boldly, taking a stand, leaning into live and inspiring action.
  • Sarita Rao, AT&T Business SVP, Business Marketing, Analytics & Alliances and Abhi Ingle, AT&T Business SVP and WarnerMedia Go-to-Market Strategy participated in a panel discussion with CNN Anchor Christine Romans about the future of 5G and advertising, giving buyers a glimpse of what’s to come from CNN Business’ Foreseeable Future roundtable live event series launching this year.
  • CNN Original Series debuted teasers of the upcoming premieres from Ravi Patel and Stanley Tucci.
    • Searching for Italy with Stanley Tucci is a four-part CNN Original Series, produced by Raw (Three Identical Strangers), that follows Academy Award-nominated actor Stanley Tucci on a culinary journey throughout Italy. Tucci travels to Rome, Tuscany, Sicily and Milan to learn about the people and stories behind the most irresistible food on the planet.
    • Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness is a four-part CNN Original Series, produced by Cream, that follows actor Ravi Patel as he travels the world to get answers to universal questions like how to best raise a child or manage a hectic lifestyle. Patel takes a friend or family member along with him to Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Denmark to explore the traditional customs of the people they meet and experience their unique approaches to life’s most pressing matters. 
  • CNN Digital outlined its success in investing in a diversity of content and new content formats, recording its largest digital audience in history in January 2020, with a record 148 million unique U.S. visitors and a record 128 million mobile unique visitors according to data from Comscore. CNN vowed to continue delivering best-in-class user experiences designed to inform, engage and empower audiences, such as:
  • CNN Audio – CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joined Jeff Zucker and Anderson Cooper to discuss the new podcast Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction, launched earlier this week in an effort to keep audiences safe, healthy and informed. Within the first week of launch, it was in the top five of all podcasts on Apple. Released each weekday, episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen.
  • The CNN Election Center – A digital version of John King’s ‘Magic Wall’ with real-time election results, a candidate tracker for an in-depth look at the democratic field and the Facts-First Database with fact-checks from the campaign trail – were showcased as examples of enhanced product experiences to engage users.

About CNN
CNN Worldwide, the most honored brand in cable news reaches more people on television, the web and mobile devices than any other news organization in the world.

About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.  

WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).  

Publicity Contacts
Jennifer Toner
212.275.6642
jennifer.toner@turner.com

Kirsten McKenna
212.275.6752
kirsten.mckenna@turner.com