Kathie Lee & Hoda Have A Few Bermudaful Days

Bermuda hosted the 35^th America’s Cup presented by Louis Vuitton in the summer of 2017. The event put the island on the global stage for a sport with huge international cache – but a more limited U.S. fan base. TURNER leveraged the high-profile multi-week event to introduce and educate potential travelers about competitive sailing, securing a multi-day takeover of the TODAY Show, the no. 1 morning show in the U.S. The morning show format was perfectly suited to the highly visual nature of the races, and also allowed the island to showcase numerous local personalities and businesses.

What We Did

It started as a pitch for a 3.5-minute segment in January. It resulted in two hour-long segments over three days in May.

TURNER began by focusing on NBC-owned programming to maximize the partnership for America’s Cup (the station’s sister channel, NBC Sports, owned the broadcast rights to the event). We researched and pitched relevant producers at the TODAY show, and – more than 150 emails, calls and in-person meetings later – we secured this prime placement.

The TODAY Show broadcast live from Bermuda over the course of two shows, leading up to the start of the America’s Cup in May. Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb were joined on island by Jenna Busch Hager and Jill Martin. They sampled local Bermudian food, tried traditional dances and enjoyed a multitude of island activities. TURNER was able to secure actor and Bermuda resident Michael Douglas to provide a local’s perspective during a personal tour of the island. The TODAY Show also went behind the scenes with ORACLE Team USA, getting an insider’s look at America’s Cup training, providing coveted coverage of the event.

Results

The project was a total success. With two full 10am shows dedicated to Bermuda, we were able to not only feature the 35^th America’s Cup, but also highlight the island in a fresh way to target a key target demographic. Michael Douglas’ involvement elevated the show, while the segments’ hosts enthusiasm for their on-island activities created new Bermuda super-fans.