BB FANS

National Express launches Big Brother ‘casting coach’ microsite

20-02-2006 10:26 AM
netimperative

Coach firm National Express has launched a microsite to cover its tour of the UK, auditioning potential contestants for this year’s Big Brother reality show.

Brighter Pictures (Endemol) and Channel 4 have partnered with National Express to use the firms coach network to tour key UK locations away from the six major cities normally used for auditions.

The company has even converted one of its fleet of coaches into a mobile studio.

Digital agency Ai London (formerly known as Arnold Interactive) has been selected by National Express to create a new section on its website providing news, gossip and updates on the auditions.

The new site features a mock-up of the casting area on the back of the coach showing the filming equipment with links accessible through the areas on a producer’s clipboard.

Ken Frakes, managing director of Ai London, said: “Big Brother is all about being part of the experience: the spotlight of attention and glimpses of how everything is put together (and how, ultimately, it unravels) are what these people thrive on.”

This year’s promotion follows on from National Express “Diary Room” campaign run in partnership with Big Brother 6 last year. Entrants were offered prizes including entry to the Big Brother house and tickets to each of the eviction nights during the run of the show.

CROWDS of hopefuls queued in Aberystwyth town centre on Sat-urday as they tried to convince Big Brother producers they had what it takes to become a star.
Producers, Endemol, invited peo-ple to stand outside the bus and quizzed the wannabes before deciding whether to let them give a 60 second pitch in the on-board Big Brother diary room. One of the hopefuls turned down by producers, Carys-Ann Hornsey, who works in Charlies Stores, said this week: “There were quite a few of us in the queue. The producers were very precise in their questions and I think they had an idea of what they were looking for. “I didn’t get into the coach to give my 60 seconds but I don’t regret going at all. “It’s not everyday you get the chance to audition for these big shows in Aberystwyth. “Next year I’ll know what they want so might stand a better chance.”
Anyone who missed the Casting Coach and is desperate to audi-tion can catch the producers in Cardiff today (Wednesday) at the City Hall, where 1,000 hopefuls are expected to turn up.

Tindle Newspapers Ltd 22 February 06