Sling TV

Someone has to be first. And when it comes to OTT, DISH largely legitimized the space with its savvy launch of Sling TV, which gives consumers a way to access pay-TV content through a skinny bundle of programming available over the Internet—no authenticated pay-TV subscription required. Even more impressive than this disruptive move is how DISH marketed the launch, creating enough buzz to drive more than 1 billion media impressions that in turn helped drive pre-release registrations and sales. In sixteen research phases, DISH engaged more than 1,700 target consumers between the ages of 18 to 34 and built a highly refined image of the service’s target audience. And DISH held embargoed reporter pre-briefings, followed by other press events and a program to put Sling TV in the hands of media influencers 20 days before launch. Partly as a result of its media blitz, Sling TV took home 13 top honors at the 2015 International CES, including Engadget’s “Best of the Best” award and Digital Trends’ “Top Tech of CES 2015.” In all, DISH secured 3,446 media placements over six weeks.