Channel 4: Humans [video] 2

Credits & Description:

Agency: Omd Uk
Brand: Channel 4
Country: United Kingdom
Advertising Agency: Omd Uk, London
Entrant Company: Omd Uk, London
Media Agency: Omd Uk, London
Pr Agency: Omd Uk, London
Production Company: 4creative, London
Additional Company: Ebay, Richmond
Creative Technologist: Frazer Hurrell (Aol)
Director: Keith Mccarthy (4creative)
Business Director: Nik Windsor (4creative)
Executive Creative Director: John Allison (4creative)
Project Manager: Katharina Joos (Channel 4)
Creative Technologist: Arthur Tindsley (Aol)
Advertising Marketing Manager: Fraser Rattray (Ebay)
Senior Digital Producer: Christos Savvides (4creative)
Strategy Director: Claire Dean (Omd Uk)
Group Marketing Manager: Laura Ward (Channel 4)
Sales Manager: Lewis Ward (Ebay / Ad2one)
Marketing Executive: Marcus Chamberlain (Channel 4)
Creative: Matt Fee (4creative)
Publicity Manager: Ryan Davies (Channel 4)
Creative: Alice Tonge (4creative)
Marketing Manager: Lauren Holness (Channel 4)
Creative Architect: Mark Mccafferty (Aol)
Advertising Director, Uk: Rob Bassett (Ebay)
Executive Creative Director: Chris Bovill (4creative)
Head Of Marketing: James Walker (Channel 4)
Agency Group Lead: Joni Morriss (Aol)
Senior Sales Manager: Sundeep Notay (Aol)
Business Director: Chris Evans (Omd Uk)
Senior Account Manager: Danielle Sammeroff (Fuse Sport & Entertainment)
Producer: Fiona Wright (4creative)
Operations Manager: Jonathan Burgess (Ebay)
Digital Director: Joseph Cartlidge (Omd Uk)
Strategy:
•We developed a multi-media campaign to launch Persona Synthetics, creating a nationwide belief that robots were real products available to buy and convincing people to watch the show.•This wasn’t just about planning and booking media: we created a brand, filmed a TV commercial, found the dream location for a physical store, secured eBay as an online retail partner, built a website, launched social media accounts and planned a launch campaign.
Execution:
•A TV advert with no Channel 4 branding started the campaign, driving people to the website and store•Our Persona Synthetics website allowed people to explore the robots in more detail.•Our huge store on London's Regent Street, one of the world’s most famous shopping districts, then became the focal point of our campaign.•Two 90” digital screens and revolutionary Microsoft technology allowed people to personalise robots through gesture control. •We even had actors posing as Persona Synthetics employees delivering robots to the store.•We became the first fictional brand to sell products on eBay where we pretended to auction off two robots.•Social media accounts promoted our physical and online retail stores.•Print and social adverts completed the illusion, directing people to Persona Synthetics on and offline.
Campaign Description:
•Artificial intelligence was already generating headlines and public discussion but it wasn’t part of everyday conversation.•So we prayed on people’s fears and took Persona Synthetics, the brand from the show, and used media to launch it as a real company, selling robots as household gadgets.•Our campaign combined TV, outdoor and digital platforms to continuously shock people over three weeks, giving the public the impression that household robots really were available for purchase.
Synopsis:
•Humans was a new drama from the UK’s third largest broadcaster, Channel 4 that imagines a world where robots are the new must-have household gadget.•The show explores what could go wrong if you put artificial intelligence into people's homes.•Our challenge was to turn this potentially niche science fiction show into a mainstream smash hit and get 2 million to watch the programme.
Outcome:
•13.1 million people watched Humans, making it Channel 4’s highest rating British drama of all time.•One million people visited the website in just three weeks.•Persona Synthetics trended as the #1 search on Google and Twitter in the UK on opening weekend.•eBay’s auctions were viewed 250,000 times with thousands of requests to bid submitted.•Social channels amassed over 14,000 followers organically.•7,000 people interacted with the Regent Street storefront.