Case study – Objective: Address an issue
When ITV launched a slick new murder series ‘Strangers’ set in Hong Kong, they wanted to win over viewers who would traditionally look elsewhere for a drama series. The key idea driving the campaign’s strategy and implementation, was that there is nothing more disorientating than finding yourself lost in a foreign city, unable to recognise the visual cues needed to get around.
Putting the idea into practice, this is exactly what the campaign made the audience feel through a series of Cantonese inspired takeovers. Goodstuff targeted people’s morning commute – the most mundane part of the day – transforming familiar media spaces into standout ways to capture attention. Teaming up with Metro (one of the most recognised parts of a morning commute), Goodstuff delivered a full Cantonese cover wrap including – for the first time – the Metro masthead in a foreign language. Together with OOH, social media and a partnership with Uber Eats, the campaign created a sense of immersive theatre.
It was a huge success and delivered a great drama debut as 6.3 million people tuned in, smashing targets for overall viewing. The campaign also helped improve perceptions of the ITV brand, promoting the channel as a go-to for drama series. An astonishing 90% of Metro’s reader research panel recalled seeing the ad, praising the campaign for its fresh approach and finding ‘Strangers’ both appealing and interesting.
What stood out for the insights category was a really simple compelling insight that drove not only the news brands part of the campaign, but everything else on the plan as well. Alongside this the results were brilliant!
Simon Carr, Chief Strategy Officer, Hearts & Science
