Unlike its U.S. counterpart, Turner Broadcasting Latin America doesn't host an annual event to sell its programming to advertisers, preferring to host one big event every few of years. And after holding an upfront in 2009, the TV company returned to New York on October 11 to present its newest lineup at Jazz at Lincoln Center in a splashy production that capped off a three-day series of events to entertain 500 clients flown in from Latin America. To give weight to the occasion, Turner sought to match—and even outdo—the considerably ostentatious efforts put forth by U.S. networks every May in New York, a period better known as Upfront Week.
"We have a lot of networks—16 networks—so every couple of years it's somewhat nice to do a bigger push," said Maru Gonzalez, Turner Broadcasting Latin America's director of sponsorship and promotions, who worked with Triton Productions to plan the affair. "We basically had all of Latin America's advertising industry in the room that we flew in just for this. And how many upfronts have they seen? We can't just do a PowerPoint followed by a reel. We are an entertainment company, and we take that at heart."
In that spirit, the presentation was designed more like show, with pyrotechnics and motorbikes on stage, spoof news casts, and executives introduced in unusual, rather theatrical ways. For instance, one segment saw a 100-piece marching band swarm the stage. Dressed in uniform and and carrying a tuba, Barry Koch, senior vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Tooncast Latin America, was part of the musical ensemble, staying behind as the band left to talk about kids programming. Another had Rick Perez, general manager of movies and series networks, soaring overhead before dropping on stage.
"Flying executives [over the audience] I think is pretty out there. I don't know how many people would be willing to fly their bosses and how many bosses would be willing to fly," added Gonzalez with a laugh. "I think it says a lot about our company and the culture we have."
In a broader sense, Turner Latin America was looking to communicate the rebranding of its ad sales department as Turner Media Plus and the umbrella theme of "delivering more." Building on the logo graphics, a plus sign was a big part of the event's design, present in animation used for the video invitation, the decals decorating the entrance elevators, on the façade of the 40-foot-long ice bar in the cocktail reception, and as a three-dimensional structure that popped out of the stage floor. And there was certainly more entertainment following the presentation; the after-party in the Allen Room finished with a performance by Flo Rida.
![Just as the evening's M.C., comedian Andrew Kennedy, was delivered to the stage via an overhead rig, so was Rick Perez, Turner's general manager of movies and series networks for Latin America. The concept was designed as a parody of action movies, which are shown on channels like TNT and Space.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp007c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Matching the blue used in the Turner Media Plus graphics, Triton Productions fashioned a brightly illuminated entrance tunnel that led to the reception inside Jazz at Lincoln Center's atrium. The structure placed by the elevator effectively hid other parts of the venue, directing guests to the designated space.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp005c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Keeping the design clean, but on-brand, the producers cloaked the reception space with LED backdrops, hung disco balls at varying heights from the ceiling, and placed a 40-foot-long bar made of ice and printed with the Turner Media Plus logo on one side of the room. Behind the bar, a performer on a platform acted as the focal point.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp004c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![At the rear of the reception, white lounge furniture was arranged in groups and placed atop elevated platforms illuminated by an LED border. Flower arrangements matched the modern design, with single stems of white roses placed in tube-like glass vases.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp003ac.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Designed by Star Theodos Kahn and built by Atomic Design, the striking set for the presentation in the Rose Theater had a clean, linear look. This gave producers an uncluttered backdrop for the various stunts that took place on stage. The opening sequence saw Gretchen Colon, Turner Broadcasting Latin America's senior vice president of ad sales, attacked by motorcyclists, who were thwarted by a S.W.A.T. team, football squad, and other action movie-style characters.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp006c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![As a tongue-in-cheek play on the presentation's overly dramatic opening sequence, Turner's news channels were introduced by a newscast parody, with CNN en Espanol's Fernando del Rincon and Patricia Janiot interviewing the 'victims' and eyewitnesses of the attack.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp056c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![After putting voice-over actors and a foley artist on stage to dub a scene from a series live, Turner's presentation had a 100-piece marching band storm the theater.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp009c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Barry Koch, general manager of Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Tooncast Latin America (pictured, left) was part of the marching band and stayed on stage when the group left to talk about programming for kids and teens.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp061c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![To introduce its Trends network cluster—which includes TBS, TruTV, and MuchMusic—and its general manager Felipe de Stefani, Turner showed Kennedy in a mock music video before bringing out reggaeton singer Daddy Yankee (pictured).](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp016c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![When the presentation finished, guests moved from the theater to the Allen Room. Outside the after-party space, a step-and-repeat and carpet marked with the Turner Media Plus logo encouraged guests to pose for pics. A photo booth on one side snapped more shots, which were projected onto a screen in the Allen Room.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp121ac.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Like the reception, the after-party was fairly modern in design, with chandeliers, a disco ball, and a mirrored dance floor reflecting the lights around the room.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp021c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![The evening finished with a performance by Flo Rida.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/10/turner_nfp028c.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)