First Execution Will Focus On Combining The Power And Reach Of The Walking Dead Universe With Complex Networks’ First We Feast Franchise
New York NY, March 19, 2021 – AMC Networks and Complex Networks today announced a content partnership that will allow advertisers to leverage the strength and reach of AMCN’s popular programming and its established fan communities through Complex Networks’ pop culture, food, and fashion programming pillars. Specific applications will include custom original series, integrations, branded promos and truly original ideas that reach viewers and potential customers through these wildly popular properties.
The first planned execution combines The Walking Dead Universe with First We Feast, to create the original series, Run The Dish. Each episode of this unconventional cooking show will feature apocalypse-inspired dishes created by Complex Celebrity chefs and TWD Universe talent.
“We have original programming franchises that break through in popular culture and are focal points of vibrant and active fan communities,” said Kim Granito, executive vice president of AMC Networks’ Content Room and integrated marketing. “Through Complex Networks’ well-established culture pillars, we are able to extend our viewers’ relationships with these franchises in unexpected and highly-entertaining ways. This is a powerful combination for our advertising partners to tap into, and another point of quality and distinction The Content Room offers as we approach this year’s advertising upfront.”
First We Feast has become the #1 brand in food entertainment; creating massive IP and extensions like Hot Ones, The Burger Show, Tacos con Todo, and many others,” said Edgar Hernandez, chief revenue officer of Complex Networks. “Partnering with another iconic franchise with a rabid fanbase like The Walking Dead made all the sense when looking for our next strategic partnership. Together, we’ll create new content experiences that enable brand partners to go deep with our IP and fandoms.
The Content Room is an in-house branded entertainment agency, dedicated to building premium creative campaigns delivered to the powerful audiences across AMC Networks. From custom brand films and in-show integrations, to iconic experiential and franchise development, Content Room can tap into audiences and talent access across AMC, Sundance TV, BBCA, IFC and WE tv and is committed to marketing with purpose and offers advertisers partnerships across diversity & inclusion, gender parody and environmental conservation space.
About AMC Networks
AMC Networks is a global entertainment company known for its popular and critically acclaimed content. Its portfolio of brands includes AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios), IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, IFC Films, and a number of fast-growing streaming services, including the AMC+ premium streaming bundle, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and ALLBLK (formerly branded “UMC”). AMC Studios, the Company’s in-house studio, production and distribution operation, is behind award-winning owned series and franchises, including The Walking Dead, the highest-rated series in cable history. The Company also operates AMC Networks International, its international programming business, and Levity Entertainment Group, its production services and comedy venues business.
About Complex
Complex Networks champions the people, brands and new trends you need to know now, will obsess over next, and we build consumer universes around them. We’re what a modern entertainment company looks like and what others have followed since 2002. From pop culture and style (Complex), food entertainment (First We Feast), music discovery (Pigeons & Planes), sneaker news (Sole Collector) to our festival of cultural convergence (ComplexCon) — if you want to be part of what’s next and build valuable relationships with the audiences who live in it, join us at Complex Networks.
Complex Networks, formed from the acquisition of Complex Media Inc. through a joint venture by Verizon and Hearst, creates and distributes original programming with premium distributors including Netflix, Hulu, Corus, Facebook, Snap, MSG, Fuse, Pluto TV, Roku and more. Our content spans across music to movies, sports to video games, fashion to food and more. We reach the coveted 18-34-year-old male audience and are a Top 3 entertainment network for females 18-34 in the U.S., per comScore. In 2016, Complex Networks launched ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, to bring the “Internet to life.” The annual two-day festival attracts over 200 brands, artists, exclusive collaborations, food vendors, and over 60,000 attendees.