TV Land Spawns Digital Yearbook for ‘High School Reunion’ Fans
TV Land is aiming to engage fans of its “High School Reunion” series with an online “Digital Yearbook” enabling the show’s viewers to self-create identities with photos and profiles.
Visitors to the site can upload photos, write profiles and create monikers that characterize them in their high school years—like the people on the show—and interact with other viewers revisiting their high school personae.
For the second season of the eight-episode original reality series that presents people interacting with former high school peers at a 20-year reunion, TV Land will post video of scenes extended or deleted from the on-air episodes. It will also post behind-the-scenes videos shot by the cast along with their bios and weekly blogs about the reunion experience.
Full episodes of the series, starting its new season on Feb. 18, will also be accessible on the site the day after they air on the cable channel.
“We feel people will identify with the online elements as well as the programming on air,” said TV Land spokesman Mitchell Squires.
TV Land figures that, in addition to enabling viewers to create Web identities like the people in the series, it may also enable them to connect with former classmates.
The series, aimed at viewers in their mid-40s, was a hit for TV Land in its initial run last year. The MTV Networks cable channel, which largely recycles classic TV series, acquired the show after a three-year run on the WB Network as a 10-year reunion reality romp.
TVLand.com is also putting up a viral Web page dubbed “My ‘80s Self” where visitors can upload photos and make themselves over into an idealized ‘80s icon. That feature debuts on the same day as the season primetime premiere of the show, along with a “High School Volleyball” game enabling players to challenge each other online.
A “Totally ‘80s Triva” game has already debuted on the revamped “High School Reunion” micro-site.
The show is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.
