It was the TV promotion world's equivalent of the release of Spider-Man 3. Last week, WNBC launched its We're 4 New York campaign.

Like the movie sequel, the campaign owes a debt to two earlier hits: the long-running original We're 4 New York campaign, circa 1992 (click here and watch the rare three-and-a-half-minute version), plus a brief revival during the 2002 Winter Olympics.

And just like a movie franchise, it must earn fresh success on its own merits.

Not to worry. The updated We're 4 New York is a sure-fire hit. But before we savor its creative appeal, let's consider the strategic thinking behind it.

Last week's MarketShare focused on the challenges and opportunities facing TV stations as they prepare new branding for the digital transition in February 2009. Will stations emphasize traditional channel numbers and call letters, or switch to glitzier nicknames and slogans? We're 4 NewYork, settles the question, at least for WNBC.

"Obviously it's a very strong play on the number 4," says David Hyman, WNBC's VP of programming and creative services. "We're channel 4 in New York we're also for New York. We're great supporters of New York and it's a very strong message."

Thanks to the hidden PSIP code, channel 4 is just where New Yorkers will find WNBC on their new digital dials—and not just the familiar network flagship station.

While WNBC presently calls its digital weather channel  Weather Plus—a brand shared by several NBC O&O's—it came up with a clever high-tech moniker for its second program channel: WNBC 4.4.

"We're 4 New York runs on both of our digital channels." says Hyman. "People can also click and watch it on wnbc.com."

Last fall the station rebranded itself as 4HD, with the HD tucked neatly beneath the ubiquitous peacock, supplanting both the previous NBC4 as well as NewsChannel4.

Now the channel 4 branding extends to virtually all WNBC programming and activities, including community partnerships with LincolnCenter, the Museum of Modern Art and the recent Tribeca Film Festival.

"This year our 4.4 digital channel carried a nightly show called Tribeca Take 4.4," says Hyman. So we certainly do everything we can."

NBC is also channel 4 in two other major markets: KNBC in Los Angeles and WRC in Washington. Both are branded as NBC4 with similar logos: a peacock alongside a 4, albeit in different typefaces.

Similarly, CBS has four O&O's operating on channel 2. WBBM Chicago, KCBS Los Angeles, and WCBS New York brand themselves CBS 2 (with an HD added in New York). But the network knew better than to force that format in Pittsburgh, where the venerable call letters KDKA mean even more than the CBS Eye.

CBS learned that lesson the hard way in Boston. As we reported in January, Boston's former CBS4 devoted two spots in the Super Bowl to relaunch itself as WBZ.

From roughly 1980 to 2000, stations emphasized call letters over channel number in response to rampant cable system "channel remapping." So it would be ironic indeed if analog channel numbers prove to be the most reliable beacon for guiding viewers through the digital transition.

So is WNBC placing too much faith on the familiar 4? Clearly Hyman doesn't think so. "We've been channel 4 in New York for 65 years. People know us as the flagship of NBC. It's a tremendous identity, with a great reach."

And the new We're 4 NewYork is designed to blend viewers' affection for the station with their love for their home town. One reason the new spots are so effective is that Hyman's team resisted the conventional temptation to superficially "modernize" a classic campaign. Instead, WNBC went back to the original creative team.

The new spots are produced and directed by Randy Pyburn, the same guy who created the award-winning 1990's original.

This time Pyburn kicked off the campaign with a salute to the glamour and magic of NewYork. Nearly every shot featuring models, dancers and "regular people" bathed in glorious colors. The spots end with an arresting image of a bodybuilder flexing against a Manhattan sunrise. Take a look.

"It's really a celebration of New York City and then, by extension of NBC and WNBC and its programs and its personalities," says Hyman.

That connection becomes more obvious this week as a second wave of spots add shots of longtime anchors Chuck Scarborough and Sue Simpson, as well as NBC stalwarts Brian Williams, Meredith Viera, and Matt Lauer (who sports a wavy bouffant hairdo in the full-length 1993 version.)

Already in production for over two months, future versions will showcase news anchors from every daypart, all WNBC sports and weather teams plus major talent from syndicated and primetime shows, not to mention a cameo or three by celebrity New Yorkers.

For the music, Hyman and Pyburn went back to prolific composer Edd Kalehoff, who penned the original jingle, which was belted out by Mrs. Kalehoff, better known as Andrea McArdle of Annie fame. The new version is performed by Kalehoff-McArdle version 2.0, their gifted daughter Alexis Kalehoff.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see the rest of this campaign. This is more than smart marketing. These spots remind viewers and broadcasters why they love TV. "Absolutely," agrees Hyman. "There's a lot of fun [in the campaign.] It's a fun business and I think we have to remember that."

And speaking of 4-sight, Hyman revealed that future versions of the campaign will harness the popularity of videos created by New Yorkers themselves. "Later this summer, we're going to invite our viewers to show us why they're 4 New York."

Careful there, David. If you ask a bunch of New Yorkers what they love about New York, you're liable to get maybe 20 years of great answers. Welcome back to a great campaign.

Market Share by Arthur Greenwald focuses on successful station promotions. Isn't it about time that the rest of the industry discovered just how smart and talented you really are? Let us know about your promotional success stories. Write to Arthur at greenwald@tvnewsday.com.