Weeks before the season premiere later this month of the firefighter drama Rescue Me, FX is giving consumers a peek at what’s to come.
A 15-minute streaming episode, Rescue Me 2.5, can be downloaded from America Online and watched via video-on-demand (VOD), including Comcast, Adelphia, Cox and Cablevision in New York.
FX designed the short program to bridge the gap between the series’ second and third season, which premieres May 30 at 10 p.m. ET. The promotion also gives the network a chance to build buzz over the newest season across multiple platforms, said Barry Schwartz, senior VP- integrated sales and marketing, Fox Cable Networks Entertainment Group.
“We felt it would be a great promotion working with a partner like AOL,” Schwartz said. “This is something unique.”
In addition, Rescue Me 2.5 will air on the Reuters electronic billboard in New York’s Times Square from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 30, Schwartz said. Street teams will be involved in the Times Square promotion. Details are still being finalized, Schwartz said.
Mobile carrier Alltel Wireless is sponsoring the promotion. Alltel Wireless has branding on FX Network’s homepage, as well as on digital platforms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Rescue Me 2.5 details a single storyline of the show’s firefighters returning to their station after battling a fire. Returning unscathed, the men find a mysterious creature awaiting them in the firehouse just before they are to receive an award from the mayor. The promotion runs through May 29.
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