• by Wayne Friedman , October 14, 2016

American Express will extend its marketing effort with NBCUniversal on the “Today” next week, eliminating many commercials and adding more content. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

NBC says the marketing push will include 27 minutes of programming. Tune-in promotion for the campaign will begin today, with promos running in-show and on NBC.

This will mean bigger segments during “Today’s” three-hour morning segments, expanding its “Trending” segments in the show’s 8 a.m. hour, as well as opening conversations in the 9 and 10 a.m. hours. 

In addition, the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card-sponsored effort will reduce pre-roll advertising on digital videos on Today.com, and provide “behind-the-scenes” videos on the show’s digital site and social platforms.

The original effort between American Express and NBC began in February 2016, coinciding with Leap Day.

Over the past year, American Express has spent $141.7 million on national TV, with $28.1 million going to NBC, according to iSpot.tv. 

During this period, it spent $27.1 million on ABC, $17.6 million on TNT, $16.2 million on CBS and $9.8 million on Fox. Heavy spend on particular TV shows has gone to NBA and NFL programming, as well as NBC’s “The Voice” and ABC’s “Academy Awards.”

In the most recent two-week period -- September 30 through October 13 -- American Express spent $1.7 million on NBC.