Corus Secures High-Profile Partnerships in Continued Multiplatform Digital Expansion

Corus Brings Complex Networks and its Leading Youth Culture Brands to Canada in 360° Partnership

so.da partners with Twitter to launch custom content initiative Twitter Originals, fueled with so.da

Kin Expands with New Male Vertical

so.da originals Launches with Four Social Series for Brand Integrations

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TORONTO, June 3, 2019 /CNW/ - Corus announced today its latest big moves in the digital space: becoming the home to premium digital brands and audiences in Canada through pivotal partnerships with Complex and Twitter; adding new branded content opportunities for advertisers with the launch of so.da originals; as well as the expansion of Kin with a new male creator vertical. 

Corus Brings Complex to Canada

Continuing to deliver premium content to its highly engaged audiences across multiple platforms, Corus brings Complex Networks, a global media company, to Canadians through a new 360° partnership. As the #1 youth culture brand in the U.S. for the Male 18-24 demo with more viewers than Netflix in this demo*, Complex offers a portfolio of premium video-first brands positioned to serve diverse audiences, bringing unparalleled reach with Millennials and Gen Z.

Corus will serve as the exclusive ad sales partner for Complex Networks in Canada and will license content from the Networks' diverse library to be distributed on various platforms, including linear and on demand. Beginning this fall, Complex Networks' Hot Ones, from the food brand First We Feast, will get a one-hour block on Global Television, following Canada's #1 late night show for millennials and A25-54, Saturday Night Live**. Corus will also be bringing hit digital series Sneaker Shopping to its digital and social channels.

Corus will also work with Complex Networks to produce new original localized content and expand its successful US event business to Canada, which includes the popular cultural franchise, ComplexCon, which attracted more than 60,000 attendees to its 2018 Long Beach event.

Twitter Originals, fueled with so.da

Continuing its digital dominance, so.da also extends its partnership with social media giant Twitter by launching Twitter Originals, fueled with so.da. Following a successful beta program which saw the creation of original custom content for brands Unilever, CIBC, Philadelphia, and an upcoming series with Stella Artois on @FoodNetworkCa called #BestNightIn, so.da now embarks on the next phase of the partnership: developing data-driven, custom content exclusively for Twitter, matched with targeted and measurable distribution to deliver it to a hyper passionate audience.

so.da originals

With the explosive growth of custom social video, Corus also announced today the launch of so.da originals – premium, short form social series that will run across Corus' powerful brands, across platforms. The series will offer advertisers high-impact storytelling in a less cluttered, brand safe environment. so.da originals launches with four series: makeover series #RoomForImprovement on HGTV, style series #StyleThatFits on Slice, trivia series #Quizzical on Global, as well as a localized version of fan-favourite Complex Networks show Sneaker Shopping to Canada for the first time.

Kin Expands with New Male Vertical

Now a part of the so.da family, Kin also expands it's offering with the launch of its new male vertical – giving brands another opportunity to reach young, male audiences by leveraging the power of Kin's creators. New to the Kin family are: Mikey Bustos, Gunnarolla, John Rush, Styled by Harj, SonReal, Brett Kissel, SLEESTAK, Cameron Stewart, and Dejan's Day Off. Together with Adult Swim, Complex Networks and Kin, so.da offers advertisers highly engaged, young male audiences in the entertainment and lifestyle space.

"We continue to see explosive growth in the social and digital space – last year, our content was viewed over six billion times, with over 1.5 billion minutes watched," said Dervla Kelly, SVP of Marketing for Corus and Head of so.da. "While you can pay for reach, you cannot pay for engagement, and we are investing deeply to ensure we bring massive scale, along with incredibly engaged audiences, to our advertisers."

Sources:
*Comscore April 2019
**Numeris PPM Data, Total Canada, FL'18 (Sep 17 – Dec 23/18), AMA(000), 3+ airings, CDN CONV ENG National Networks, Millennials=A23-38

About so.da

so.da is a full-service, specialized social digital agency offering strategy, community management, content production, analytics and social listening, talent and influencer integration. In addition to managing Corus' vast portfolio of brands in the social space, including Food Network Canada, HGTV, Global TV, Slice and W Network, so.da works with many of Canada's leading brands to support their social strategy and content production. The agency's deep understanding of the space has led to above average engagement rates, watch times and lower CPEs. Last year alone, so.da content was viewed over six billion times. For more information about so.da and its services, visit: soda.corusent.com

About Corus Entertainment

Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. The company's portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 37 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, a suite of digital assets, animation software, technology and media services. Corus is an established creator of globally distributed content through Nelvana animation studio, Corus Studios, and children's book publishing house Kids Can Press. The company also owns innovative full-service social digital agency so.da, and lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada. Corus' roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY®, Showcase, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV and Nickelodeon Canada, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX. Visit Corus at www.corusent.com.

About Complex Networks

Complex Networks, formed from the acquisition of Complex Media Inc. through a joint venture by Verizon and Hearst, is a global lifestyle brand and media company and one of the most influential voices in popular culture today. Complex Networks' digital channels, which include Complex, First We Feast, Pigeons & Planes, Sole Collector and more, is a Top 10 publisher in the U.S. for social engagement on channels like Facebook and YouTube. A diversified and profitable media business with premium distribution partners such as Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV, Roku, and iFlix, Complex Networks' original content exemplifies convergence culture, exploring topics that span across popular culture from music to movies, sports to video games, fashion to food.

Complex Networks develops and distributes original programming for its channels and through output deals with premium distributors. The company cultivates content that spans across popular culture from music to movies, sports to video games, fashion to food, reaching the coveted 18-24-year-old male audience. In 2016, the company launched ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, to bring the "Internet to life." The annual event attracts over 200 culture-shifting brands and over 60,000 digitally savvy attendees to the two-day cultural festival.

About Kin Community

Kin Community Canada are experts in influencer marketing and social media strategy and represent many of Canada's top lifestyle creators including How to Cake It (7.2+ million), The Domestic Geek (1.8+ million) and hot for food (1.1+ million).  Working in conjunction with Corus, Kin uses data and trends to help brands develop cohesive campaigns that leverage their creator's highly-engaged audiences.  Kin was acquired by Corus Entertainment in Spring of 2019. For more information visit: http://www.kincommunity.ca

SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc.

Ashley Applebaum - Director, Publicity, Corus Entertainment, 416.860.4217, [email protected]