Monk Gets Online Spin-Off

NEW YORK: To celebrate the eighth and final season of Monk, USA Network and Sleep Inn hotels have teamed up to launch the live-action original web series Little Monk, a spin-off of the critically acclaimed dramedy.

Little Monk will debut during an all-new episode of Monk on August 21 with a two-minute sneak peek. Viewers must go online to see the conclusion. The 10-episode web series goes back to Monk’s childhood days, as he and his friends navigate junior high. Each episode will run 3 to 4 minutes in length.

USA and Sleep Inn hotels are launching a new "Discover the Details" promotion campaign alongside the series. Viewers will get to simultaneously "discover the details" of Monk’s chilhood neurosis while learning about the features offered by Sleep Inn hotels. The sponsorship is part of a larger campaign that includes Sleep Inn’s integration in the August 21 episode. To support the web series, USA created a Little Monk microsite that includes the original live-action webisodes, and a Sleep Inn co-branded sweepstakes for a chance to win $25,000 and other daily prizes. The partnership will be promoted via weekly on-air promos, online messaging and exposure across facebook, twitter and other websites.

New webisodes will premiere each week to coincide with the new episodes of the series. The Sleep Inn "Discover the Details" promotion officially launched on August 3, while the eighth season of Monk premiered last Friday.

"The relationship between Sleep Inn and Monk is an example of a truly creative marketing collaboration that utilizes the strengths of USA’s distinct characters to organically integrate our advertiser’s brand message in an entertaining way," said Alexandra Shapiro, the senior VP of brand marketing and digital for USA Network.

"Sleep Inn is a great option for travelers who are looking for consistent, restful, reliable and modern hotel accommodations all at a great value," added Chris Malone, the chief marketing officer for Choice Hotels International, franchisor of the Sleep Inn brand. "The lead character of Monk is notorious for his obsessive cleanliness, and in turn, the ‘Discover the Details’ reminds guests of how Sleep Inn delivers a consistent and reliable hotel stay across all of its franchised hotel locations."