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The years of road that led to last week’s “SNL50” events was more than a complex programming campaign for NBCUIVERSALLE. It was a test of the company’s pipes.

The February 14 “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert”, held in Radio City Music Hall, and February 16 “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” are pitch-perfect examples of the kind of distinctive live events that NBCU counts on luucatively for lucrative Massive target groups to be delivered in the midst of the ever-increasing fragmentation of TV viewers.

Exclusive SNL50 photos behind the scenes below

From February 21, with a few days of delayed view and social activities, the jubilee and concert specials, plus the February 16 “SNL50: The Red Carpet” broadcast, 220 million viewers have been viewed with 3.9 billion minutes About NBC, Peacock, Digital and Social, according to NBCU Research.

The anniversary special, which lasted almost three and a half hours, was seen by around 20 million viewers, with NBC for around 16 million. The 50 -year anniversary season of the show in general has already sold out its linear and streaming advertisement. Season 50, which has almost three months to go, has delivered ‘record income for every’ SNL ‘season in the history of the franchise, by NBCU.

The programming and Ballyhoo around SNL50 events have led by “SNL” maker producer Lorne Michaels, offered an opportunity for NBCU to show that the NBC Broadcast, Peacock Streaming and a handful of digital platforms can march to a large live to deliver rise. This strategy is crucial because NBCU deposits billions in its new NBA contract and prepares himself later this year for the repulsion of seven linear cable channels, including USA, CNBC and MSNBC.

In short, NBCU wanted to show that a unique NBC event such as “SNL50” could be equal parts, celebration and income.

“Engineering, which became a monocultural moment during the SNL50 weekend and further emphasizes the power of the NBCuniversal ecosystem at work,” said Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUIVERSAL Entertainment and Studios, said Variety.

“Widded and event-gaang specials on our platforms offers the public the flexibility to enter into NBC programming on their own conditions,” Langey said. “This leads to several ‘Watercooler -moments’ while people look, and in many cases again at, shows, highlights and clips.”

It was also a respectful nod to the captain of the ship. For LANGLEY was a highlight of the SNL50 experience “The overall energy of the weekend in and around 30 rock – watching people come together to celebrate Lorne and this iconic institution he made.”

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Brian Roberts, chairman and CEO of NBCU parent Comcast, emphasized the importance of “SNL’s” lifespan and its lasting influence on American culture.

“It is difficult to put the impact of Lorne Michaels and ‘Saturday Night Live’ into words,” Roberts told the past 50 years Variety. “” SNL “broke the mold, launched countless careers and became one of the most iconic luminaires in the television history – it is a time capsule that has had an indelible impact, whereby the time years of our culture are recorded for decades.”

The opportunity to sail together a large audience – both live and long tail – with SNL50 was important because the show already has such a huge footprint on important social platforms (YouTube: 15.5 million subscribers; Tiktok: 11.2 million; Its current events drives an increase in the conversation of social engagement with every new episode. For all the expansion of TV, Lorne Michaels and Co. The only troupers that live live sketch comedy on an almost weekly basis during the traditional September-May TV season.

Related content: Why Bill Hader, Dana Carvey, Dan Aykroyd and others have skipped the 50 -year anniversary show

“We really leaned on this idea that ‘SNL’ is the ultimate piece IP for the way consumers view the content today,” said Mark Marshall, chairman of NBCuiversal of Global Advertising and Partnerships, said Variety. “There is no other feature that looks like” SNL. ” So although it is 50 years old, it is more relevant today than when it was launched in 1975. ”

The company -wide activity in NBCUIversal and Comcast in support of SNL50 approached the coordination of the Olympic Games level for the companies. An important lesson that NBCU has removed from the recent Olympic broadcasts is the need to hammer on the tune-in message in the last days before an event. Awareness that is set during a long promotion campaign is not the same as getting butts at the agreed time.

“You really have to find people who lead to the event itself. So although it was a drumbeat in the last six months when we led to it, a push is to really find people in that really tight window that leads to the event, “said Marshall.

The interaction around SNL50 started seriously two years ago after NBCUIVERSAL SALL in the spring it was plagued that “SNL” would have an extensive 50 -year anniversary. These deals include pioneering premium advertising pacts for the show during the 2024-25 season, a four-day compelling experience at 30 rock (feel what it is like to organize “SNL”!) And the function length, Questlove memory documentary “Ladies” Ladies “Ladies” Ladies and Gentlemen: 50 years of SNL music, “who debuted on NBC and Peacock on January 27.

It took Careful matchmaking to find the right sponsor partners. Not every company matched the “SNL” brand and some were not willing to control control of their ads with “SNL” writers. NBCU finished on reaching multi -year deals with five presenting sponsors: Allstate, Capital One, L’Oreal Groupe, T-Mobile and Volkswagen or America.

“It was a two -year -old Jousey,” said Marshall. “I give Lorne the honor, as well as the show, because they have been incredible partners. And they wanted to take with them [advertising] Partners with the right tone and the right voice of the adapted content that we have made. We wanted it to feel that it came from the show about a brand that is different from the brand coming to the show. “

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The success of “SNL50” has re -confirmed NBCU’s confidence in the power of live events to stimulate a series of companies. While “SNL50” was unique with a parade of stars and multi-generation nostalgia, there are other opportunities in sight, Marshall said.

“Live entertainment is probably the most undervalued element in the marketing mix at the moment,” he said, with reference to an increased demand for NBC’s Live Stalwarts such as “Today”, “The Tonight Show” and “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” “We see a return for marketers who have to find a wide range just before an event. We start to see marketers come back on this idea to say: “I have to reach someone on Tuesday because I need them to be able to appear on Thursday to come and watch a movie,” or whatever that is. ‘

SNL50 events had a large wrinkle effect at other NBCU brands. Video content posted on the large social platforms (YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook, Tiktok) between February 14 FEB. 17 generated more than 750 million video gifts over nine NBCU labels (SNL, Peacock, NBC, E! News, E! Insider, E! Entertainment, “Today”, “Access Hollywood” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show”). Authorized and unauthorized CIPs of the show naturally spread wide and sides over social media. But one thing that does not travel is “SNL” -related advertising inventory.

“That is something we are very targeted over the years, because it is so important that we control that ownership,” said Marshall. “Whether on linear or digital or social, the only place you can buy [‘SNL’] is through us. “

Among other things, fun facts and numbers about SNL50 Share by NBC:

** Gen Z-Agehijkers spend 8% more time with “SNL”-related content than ten years ago.

** Guests in the audience for the concert of 14 February in Radio City were already Franken, Caroline Kennedy, Claire Danes, Dakota Johnson, David Harbor, Diane Sawyer, Jonathan Scott and Zoey Deschanel.

** NBCs 15 February Repetition of the first “SNL” episode, organized by George Carlin on October 11, 1975, brought in 3.7 million viewers.

** About 200 seats were added to “SNL’s” at home in 30 Rock’s Studio 8h to accommodate the Sterrenhem Public for the February 16th jubilee special, which brought the total number of seats to 452.

** About 2500 CUE cards were used in the three and a half hour show.

** “SNL” cast members from all 50 seasons were present – including Don Novello, aka Father Guido Sarducci

** Guests in the audience Before February 16 are Special Bobby Flay, Catherine Oxenberg, Christine Baranksi, Edie Falco, Elliott Gould, Hanson, Meg Ryan, Sandra Oh, Sean Evans, Steve Guttenberg, Susan Lucci, Teri Hatcher, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn, Theo Vonn and Ziwe.

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Here is a bonus look at Vintage “Saturday Night Live” advertisements of the pages of Variety