The bus shelter in front of the WB's Burbank headquarters has turned into network TV's most unlikely research facility.
Through the years, the Frog has bought the shelter's ad space to promote skeins such as "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," "Felicity" and "Dawson's Creek." And inevitably, thieves have stolen those posters.
It's become a running gag at the net -- the more popular the show, the quicker the ads disappear. Which is why Frog execs were excited last week to see that someone had already swiped the bus shelter's ad for "Summerland," featuring teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney, just four days after it went up.
"This was the quickest steal yet," said WB marketing co-prexy Lew Goldstein. "God knows where they end up ... The idea that something would be stolen quickly -- that's a good sign. 'Dawson's Creek,' 'Buffy,' 'Felicity,' they'd all be ripped off -- but not in four days."
WB has been banking on the success of McCartney's music career -- he's an MTV "TRL" staple -- to help boost the return of "Summerland," which bows its second season Feb. 28.
Contact Michael Schneider at
mike.schneider@variety.com