Comcast Tries Direct Approach With VoD

Looking to boost usage of its vast library of on-demand shows and movies, cable giant Comcast Corp. has decided to go directly to the consumer by sending out a non-traditional mail piece to customers that resembles more of a TV guide than a pure pricing pitch.

The flashy and glossy mailing, entitled “What’s On Demand,” first focuses on how to use the on-demand program guide, which has been described as less than elegant. Learning it unlocks access to network TV, free and pay movies and additional capabilities.

The mailing goes way beyond traditional VoD programming to focus on movies and shows available from premium movie channels, such as HBO, Starz and Showtime.

The piece also lists and describes a number of currently available, and planned, movies and series and marks those that are available in HD. Finally, though on-demand pay movies are usually between $3.99 and $4.99 apiece, the flier offers mail-in coupons for a discounted movie this month and one in March.

When it comes to free network shows available on-demand, Comcast broke ground early, teaming with CBS to offer viewers episodes of all members of the “CSI” franchise, “Numbers,” “NCIS” and first-year hit “Jericho,” the day after they air on network TV.

In addition to the premium movie channels such as HBO, the guide lists a number of channels whose content is available on demand. They include Comedy Central, E, A&E, The History Channel and the Discovery Channel.

What is conspicuous in its absence form the guide, is any mention of a new set of offerings that require some manual searching, but could represent a huge value for viewers and Comcast.

Comcast VoD now offers trilogy packages in which movies with sequels such as the “Bourne” series and the “Rush Hour” threesome of movies in one place, with each movie going for $4.99, and accompanied by free extras, offering viewers a cheaper alternative to buying either of the series on DVDs.

Searching for VoD titles has apparently kept customers from fully discovering all of the cableco’s on-demand offerings, as is evident by the step-by-step listed in the mailing. The company has also partnered with TiVo to offer an interface combined with DVR functionality that will enable users to search across regular programming, VoD assets, and Internet movie sites through its recently launched Fancast entertainment destination. 

Verizon recently spoke of plans to roll out a programming guide that goes well beyond searching alphabetically by TV show name or TV channel to let its FiOS customers search by actor, producer and movie name.

Comcast Corp. www.comcast.com

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