The Anime Network, the first dedicated anime programming venue on American television, has announced a nationwide in-store signage promotion with Waldenbooks, America's largest mall-based book retailer.  The purpose of the campaign is to get anime and manga fans to contact their cable providers and demand access to the video-on-demand offerings of the fledgling Anime Network.  Currently 800 Waldenbooks retail outlets are promoting the Anime Network through in-store signage in the manga sections of its stores.  The 'Demand Your Anime' campaign began in the Suncoast chain with 385 stores from the leading specialty retailer of anime videos posting the same in-store signage promoting the Anime Network.

ADV Films, one of the leading packagers and distributors of anime videos and the sister company of The Anime Network, has built strong relationships with both Suncoast and Waldenbooks, which paved the way for the current campaign.  ADV is in the process of launching its own manga publishing operation (see 'ADV Announces Manga Line'), which should further strengthen its relationship with Waldenbooks, which already carries anime videos from ADV.  The promotion of the Anime Network in both the Waldenbooks and Suncoast stores is an actual example of that overused expression, 'corporate synergy.'