Fox promotes new TV show with mysterious ads (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Find the pattern," growls a voice from your radio.

The gravely suggestion interrupts a commercial for the Abrams Auto car dealership and concludes with a whisper of "Fox."

The Fox network is hoping listeners will piece together these mysterious fragments and realize there is indeed a pattern -- one that leads straight to the networks new action drama "Fringe," which premieres September 9.

The ads, which debuted this week, are part of Foxs innovative ad campaign for the J.J. Abrams series, which the network hopes will jump-start its fall lineup. Although the network declined to release specific dollar figures, the campaign represents Foxs largest scripted series marketing effort in years.

The campaign will feature cryptic messages that encourage fans to search on the Internet for more information. Fans of Abrams hit ABC drama "Lost" and the hit winter movie "Cloverfield" are familiar with the tactic, so much so that Abrams name is incorporated into the radio ads as a clue.

"Our radio goal was definitely to not say Fringe," said Laurel Bernard, senior vp marketing at Fox. "We didnt want them to sound in any way like a traditional radio spot. We wanted them to be disruptive and a little mysterious sounding."

The campaign also includes online ads placed on Web sites outside of the usual entertainment hubs to catch viewers attention in unique locations. Users on such sites as Automobile.com and recipe site FamilyOven.com will see mysterious ads encouraging them to "Imagine the Impossibilities."

"They will be very quick sort of messages, leading people to nondescript Web sites that will ultimately lead them back to Fringe," Bernard said.

With the campaign, Fox is getting an early start on its fall marketing. The networks off-air marketing efforts usually dont being until six weeks before a series premiere.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter