ABC Loves Lilith

Network signs cross-promotional deal with the music festival, which returns next year after an extended hiatus. Will Sarah McLachlan guest on “Grey’s”?

This makes sense: ABC Entertainment has signed a multiplatform deal to cross-promote the upcoming revival of Lilith Fair.

Now retittled Lilith Tour (fairs are apparently so 90s), the female-centric music event is scheduled to return next year with artists such as Jill Scott, Sheryl Crow, Corinne Bailey Ray and, of course, Sarah McLachlan and the Indigo Girls.

As part of the arrangement, ABC will hype Lilith on its shows and via the online ABC Music Lounge. Since so many ABC series feature Lilith-friendly soundtracks, and are aimed at women under 50, that shouldn’t be too tough.

Possible sample dialogue of how this might work on, say, "Cougar Town":

JULES: I love this song! Who is it?

ELLIE: Dummy, it’s Jill Scott. She’s so great. I’m going to go see her at Lilith Tour.

JULES: I’m so there! Wait, there will be cute guys there, right?

ELLIE: Um, no it’s Lilith Tour, dummy! Just a bunch of women with tattoos and nose-rings.

JULES: Well, Bill Lawrence told ne wasn’t planning on the brief lesbian encounter episode until season three. But what the hell: I’m there!

ELLIE: Cool. I’m logging on ABC.com right now to get tickets.

OK, so it’s doubtful the dialogue will be as stilted and riddled with cliches as the above (failed) attempt at humor. But you get the point.

Meanwhile, though ABC’s press release didn’t mention it, don’t be surprised if the network uses Lilith to help hype its summer and fall 2010 lineups.

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