In the Wild: Hallmark Begins the ‘Countdown to Christmas’
Does Christmas still come if there isn’t a Hallmark Channel “Countdown to Christmas?” Thankfully, we won’t have to find out with Hallmark kicking off the annual tradition last week in Nashville, which is also the backdrop for its upcoming original Christmas movie “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas.”
The decision to focus on one city is a departure from last year’s Countdown kickoff that featured a Jingle Stop Tour, a spin on the whistle-stop tour, to D.C., Philadelphia, NYC and Hudson Valley.
Hallmark Chief Communications Officer Annie Howell explained to CFX that Music City checked a lot of boxes: “This year, we wanted our Countdown to Christmas launch to do quintuple duty–target mid-size markets with large viewership and fanbases (check!); relevant connection to content (check!); build in opportunities to reinforce our strategy around One Hallmark by hosting fan meet-and-greets in Hallmark Gold Crown stores (check!); give back to the community with a visit to Children’s Hospital and a few hours packing Christmas stockings and Halloween goody bags at The Store, the charity of Brad and Kimberly Williams Paisley (did we mention that Brad also wrote and sang several songs for the Opry movie in addition to our on-air holiday anthem, “Counting Down the Days”) (big check on that one); and, ability to attract significant press and social coverage, which we did through a broadcast media tour/junket, an all-day photo activation, stage show and line dancing at Opry Plaza and participation in an actual Grand Ole Opry performance and evening red carpet launch event featuring 24 Hallmark stars and musicians featured in Opry, as well as other Hallmark Christmas movies and series (CHECK!).”
Approximately 2,500 fans joined in on the celebrations across the meet-and-greets, Opry Plaza activation and a kickoff party at Category 10. Paisley performed a duet with CMA New Artist of the Year Megan Moroney. Along with sneak peeks of Hallmark Channel holiday programming, there was Christmas line dancing and meet and greets with Hallmark stars—including Queen of Christmas Lacey Chabert, who signed products for her new Lacey Chabert Collection in local Gold Crown Stores.
The merriment never stops, with more than 4,500 fans ready to set sail next week on the sold-out Hallmark Christmas Cruise from Miami to Cozumel. Then there’s next month’s Hallmark Christmas Experience at Hallmark Cards’ headquarters in Kansas City, featuring tree lightings, sing-alongs, talent meet-and-greets, panels, creative workshops and more.
And the Hallmark crew is gearing up to head to Buffalo for the premiere of “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story,” a movie in partnership with the NFL and Skydance Sports. “In addition to our VIP reception and screening, we’re letting the fans and local community in on the action with an open-to-the-public Peppermint fan rally with a stroll including our stars, Bills players, a few quintessential Bills tailgate vehicles and Billy Buffalo, himself,” Howell teased.