Reebok will air hip-hop programs on Comcast

Reebok International Ltd. yesterday said the company will produce programs for Comcast Corp.'s new on-demand hip-hop channel that debuts nationwide on Friday, featuring exclusive interviews with rap artists Jay-Z and 50 Cent.

Reebok will create an hour's worth of content every month for the cable service known as DoD, or Def on Demand, the first of its kind that targets the hip-hop and urban market. DoD is a subsidiary of Simmons Lathan Media Group, founded in part by hip-hop tycoon Russell Simmons, that allows consumers to view programs at their leisure without commercials.

''It's not just about pushing a message in front of consumers but pulling them in with content that is interesting to them," said Marc Fireman, Reebok's director of advertising and interactive marketing.

Some of the content that will be available on Friday includes behind-the-scenes footage of commercial shoots with Jay-Z, a 10th anniversary sponsorship party with basketball star Allen Iverson, and exclusive interviews with 50 Cent and Tony Yayo of G-Unit.

''There is no mainstream marketer that embodies the hip-hop urban culture as much as Reebok," said Will Griffin, DoD's chief executive. ''They are authentic, and Reebok's content will not be about product shots."

On-demand viewing is growing increasingly popular among consumers, and earlier this week, NBC and CBS rolled out different plans to make some of their most popular shows available for viewers to watch for 99 cents an episode. Although this type of format -- allowing audiences to order programs instead of a preset program schedule -- has been available on pay-cable networks for some time, the adoption by major commercial networks such as NBC and CBS reflects a shift in the landscape.

Comcast's digital-cable viewers can watch the Reebok-branded programming at no extra cost, along with DoD's other content, including a mix of acquired films, documentaries, and concerts.

This is not Reebok's first experiment with video on demand. Earlier this year, Reebok ran a four-month spot on Comcast Cable in the Philadelphia market that featured behind-the-scenes footage of 76ers guard Iverson shooting for Reebok's new marketing campaign. Iverson's ''I Am What I am" advertisement was the most viewed on-demand content during the four months it was available, according to Reebok.

''This was proof that the concept worked," Fireman said. ''With Def on Demand, we're in an even more focused channel that targets a young male audience that's hip-hop inspired. We think it matches up very well for us and is a great place to serve up this content."

Reebok's entry into the on-demand market comes just nine months after the company launched its biggest marketing initiative in nearly a decade. The ''I am what I am" campaign attempts to link the Canton shoe and apparel maker with an image of authenticity and individuality.

Reebok says DoD's format -- customized entertainment -- fits in with Reebok's spirit of individuality and its appeal to hip, urban consumers

''They get the culture and shown over long haul a commitment to it," Griffin said.

Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com.