Marketing of a Continuing Series
By | June 26, 2013
Winner
A&E – Duck Dynasty Season 2
With audience growing 50% in key demos by the end of “Duck Dynasty’s” first season, the net knew it had a hit on its hand. But in the world of fast-moving reality TV, it had to figure out how to keep that momentum going to grow viewership for Season 2. It’s quirky and different, and so was the marketing messaging it settled on: “The Beards are Back.” It’s a theme even those unfamiliar with the series can immediately grasp, given the casts’ recognizable facial hair. Two 15-second spots had members of the cast pulling items out of their beards, lost keys, a cell phone, and so on. It developed a Chia Pet dubbed Chia Willie (it grows a beard) for press kits, and thousands were also sold online. Other elements included free rides in camo limos in NYC and interactive beard key art on Pandora and TV Guide. The marketing paid off with the show breaking its Season 1 premiere with 2.4mln 25-54s, and the show ranked as the #1 telecast on Wed nights for 3 consecutive weeks (excluding sports and news).
Honorable Mentions
Cartoon Network – Adventure Time: Season 4
Cartoon recognized “Adventure Time’s” enormous fandom and used fans creativity to help drive awareness for the new season.
Destination America – BBQ Pitmasters Season 3
Not only did the team have a new season to market, but it had to let viewers know the show had moved from TLC to new network Destination America.
HBO – Game of Thrones Season 2
HBO sidestepped traditional advertising and made social media the centerpiece, with viral off-with-their-head photos and Twitter challenges reigning.
The History Channel – Swamp People Season 3
The challenge was to get the level of buzz to match the ratings success. History found a way by bringing a living, breathing swamp within a 5600-foot space in NYC’s Chelsea Market.
Syfy – Face Off Season 3 Launch
An interactive second screen experience, a transformation of Dylan’s Candy Bar in NYC and custom content helped drive excitement and tune-in for the special effects make-up artistry series.