Lincoln Drives TNT’s ‘RPM’ Micro Series

The Lincoln TKS sedan plays a featured role in “RPM,” TNT’s branded crime thriller micro series, set to debut during episodes of “Law & Order” in October.

It’s the vehicle—literally and figuratively—for the latest incarnation of long-form ads as short-form creative that Turner Entertainment built. Most of those story lines have used cars to move the plot along.

Lincoln will also sponsor “RPM” Webisodes, replicating a formula applied previously for the 20 two-minute episodes that comprise these micro-series. Dodge similarly co-sponsored “Lucky Chance” last summer, and Acura sponsored “Blank Slate” during “Law & Order” this month.

This time around, the Lincoln is the ride of choice for Reed P. Marks, played Jonathan Schaech, an ex-homicide detective who is forced to track down a murder suspect from an investigation that has remained unsolved for four years. In that process, Marks tracks his progress using the Lincoln’s global positioning system technology.

The target audience is the same 25-to-54-year-old demographic TNT markets to, according to Katherine Johnson, Turner Entertainment senior vice president of marketing. “Law & Order” naturally lends itself as a vehicle for viewers disposed to watch a short-form potboiler interposed with the plot of the primary show.

As in the case of previous micro-series, Turner Entertainment continues to contemplate the prospect of extending these short-form vehicles into subsequent runs, as it does with original content it produces for its cable networks.

“When we develop any of the short-form products that we are developing, there is always the potential to continue the story,” Johnson said. “That’s what makes these projects very special: we’re investing our resources and working with top quality products that have the potential to turn into something else later.”

Turner has produced most of its micro-series itself. “RPM” is produced by Mandalay Television, written by Wendy West, who also writes “The Closer” series and is directed by Steve Shill, whose credits include HBO’s “Deadwood” series.