NEW MEDIA: Trinity Mirror launches showbiz portal

Trinity Mirror Digital has launched icShowbiz.com, its online entertainment portal, backed by a seven-figure marketing spend.

icShowbiz, the first of three new consumer portals Trinity Mirror plans to launch alongside its ic24 ISP, will act as a centre for celebrity news and gossip. Features will include information from the Mirror's 3am team, film reviews from Jonathan Ross and party news from Shebah Ronay.

The launch will be backed by an ad campaign through Grey Advertising and MediaCom TMB, breaking at Christmas and targeting 18-to-45-year-old women. TV ads will feature four different scenarios that give the viewer X-ray vision to show the secrets behind celebrities. In one execution an actress arrives at a film premiere in a dress with a plunging neckline, but the X-ray reveals she has breast implants.

Jill Playle, marketing director for Trinity Mirror Digital, said: 'icShowbiz is aimed primarily at women who want to know the truth behind showbiz gossip. The campaign focuses on this while cleverly pulling in the 'ic' branding.'

The campaign will target women's consumer titles with 'Post-it Note' teasers and full page ads. icShowbiz also plans to sponsor entertainment events, such as awards ceremonies, to bring the brand into the showbiz arena.

Trinity Mirror would not divulge its adspend for the portal, but earlier this year said it would invest up to pounds 150m in its digital strategy this year. Other sites set to launch include a sports-related portal.

This article was first published on Marketing