Hallmark Embraces Reality Programming, Immersive Experiences for Upfront

Just like a classic romcom tale, Hallmark wants fans to fall in love with them year-round.

This month, Hallmark announced an expansive slate of original movies and series across various genres, as well as more immersive fan activations and experiences. And of course, the company will have new holiday content, all of which is available on the Hallmark Channel and streaming platform Hallmark+.

Ed Georger, evp, ad sales and digital media, Hallmark Media, said with a lot of fragmentation in the market today, it’s important for a company to have a consistent brand lens.

“There’s a lot that we’re doing, but it stays within the contextual relevance of the brand,” Georger told ADWEEK. “We tell that story in the marketplace in a few different ways.”

As the industry heads into upfront season, Georger said conversations are quickly changing, which is reflective of how quickly the global markets are shifting.

“We’re going to hear words like ‘flexibility,’ ‘tariffs,’ and ‘uncertainty,’” Georger said. “While we navigate that type of marketplace together, I would encourage us all to remind ourselves that brands and content matter, contextual relevance matters, and good storytelling is ultimately what drives our business. It drives viewership, it drives engagement, and helps our advertising partners sell more product, or grow their business, so we lean on those topics.”

Ultimately, conversations are a bespoke process, as clients’ wants and priorities vary across brands.

“What’s important for us is to listen to what our clients’ needs are, where their businesses are going, how we can help them,” Georger said.

Hallmark gets into reality TV programming

Among its content, Hallmark’s reality slate offers various ad opportunities.

Hallmark began getting into reality TV over the last year, and the company is embracing it even more moving forward.

“We call it ‘Reality TV with Heart,’” Georger said. “It’s reality programming with a Hallmark flavor—or a Hallmark brand essence coming in through that type of programming—because we think there’s an opportunity there as well.”

Hallmark is planning to release a new slate of unscripted series, from competition to community building to home and lifestyle enhancement shows.

Some of the new series include The Motherhood, created and hosted by Connie Britton, who will connect with other single mothers who are navigating parenting, careers, and self-care; Baked with Love: Holiday, a bake-off series where home bakers will show off their signature family holiday desserts; Armed to Build, which stars Nikki DeLoach who assists a community give back to their first responders and veterans through life transformations; Daughter of the Bride, which centers on stories of daughters helping their single mothers find love; and Murder Mystery House, co-created by Jonathan Bennett, where Hallmark Mystery fans will be invited to a mansion to solve a “murder” by narrowing down suspects comprised of popular Hallmark actors and figure out who the “killer” is for a cash prize.

In addition, Celebrations with Lacey Chabert and Finding Mr. Christmas with Jonathan Bennett, which premiered last quarter, will return with new seasons.

Christmas is coming

Georger said Hallmark is making nearly 100 original movies, with 40 of those coming out during the holiday season. This year, the Hallmark Channel will be celebrating its 16th annual Countdown to Christmas, which features the channel’s holiday programming.

“Countdown to Christmas is a huge opportunity for advertisers and a huge focus for us,” Georger said.

Last year, Hallmark even delved into the sports world. The company partnered with the NFL and Skydance Sports for Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, which is about a Kansas City Chiefs fan who attempts to win the Fan of the Year award and falls in love with the team’s director of fan engagement, who also happens to be one of the competition’s judges. According to Hallmark, the movie became the No. 1 most-watched cable movie of 2024.

This year, the brand will be releasing another sports romcom hybrid movie, Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story, which will incorporate the Buffalo Bills into the storyline. The partnership will include fan activities, co-branded merchandise, and promotions across various platforms, while more details will be announced later in the year.

“Because the NFL is involved, the sponsorship opportunities are exclusive to NFL licensed partners,” Georger said. “We know how hot sports are these days.”

Other titles coming out as part of the lineup include the six-episode scripted limited series The Twelve Dates of Christmas, which is the current working title and is based on the novel of the same name by author Jenni Bayliss. The cast includes Mae Whitman, Mary McDonnell, and Jane Seymour.

Another release is Mistletoe Murders, a movie starring and executive produced by Sarah Drew, who plays Emily Lane, a Christmas shop owner who solves local murders.

The immersive experiences that contribute to ‘One Hallmark’

Beyond its original programming, Hallmark is giving advertisers the chance to connect with fans with the second installment of the Christmas Cruise, which starts in Miami and goes to Cozumel, Mexico, from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10.

Meanwhile, the Hallmark Christmas Experience will return to the Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri, where the corporate headquarters is also located. The event will take place over four consecutive weekends from Nov. 28 to Dec. 21, which will give brands many opportunities for consumer engagement in a holiday setting.

According to Georger, people from other countries and states have come to the Hallmark Christmas Experience, which drew in more than 100,000 loyal fans for all four weekends. Meanwhile, he said last year’s Christmas Cruise was so successful that it sold out within a few minutes, while around 70,000 people signed up for the waiting list.

“It gives our fans an opportunity to connect with something that is very meaningful,” Georger said. “We’re talking with advertisers not only about how your brands advertise with us, but also how you come on board and be part of what we’re calling One Hallmark. And there’s a lot of opportunity there.”

Georger explained One Hallmark is how the company views all its offerings together—from greeting cards to ornaments to television production—operating under one unified brand.

“We are fortunate to represent a family-owned brand that has been around for 115 years, and everything we do is through the lens of Hallmark and the purpose of the brand,” Georger said.