Alex Rider – Season 1

OBJECTIVES

In order to create and cultivate a space where both seasoned and new agents could come together to discuss the show and their theories, we put our ears to the ground and built up a social hub that was driven by the fans.

PHASE I (PRE-RELEASE)

We set up the pages with a distinct brand identity which leaned into the mystery and fully immersed viewers into the world of MI6.

With audiences that ranged from fans of the books to viewers that had never heard of the series, it was important for us to find a middle ground and create content that spoke to both. We leaned into the nostalgia of the title but were also strategic in not alienating new fans. We established a tone of voice that was relatable, engaging, witty and intriguing. To maximize our reach and engagement per platform, we crafted copy that created a conversation with the fans. In developing a high-energy space for our agents to gather, theorize, and discuss, this encouraged fans everywhere to tap into their inner spy.

PHASE II (RELEASE)

MI6’s reach extends across the globe, with our first mission launching in the U.K., the U.S., India, LATAM, and beyond.

As we expanded our fanbase, we coordinated largely with Sony, IMDbTV and their global streaming and cable television partners to amplify their premieres through rigorous community management. By actively sharing and engaging with our partners’ posts, we were able to leverage their reach and drive fans to our own pages. Our partners returned the favor by sharing content that we created across their own pages as well. Geo-targeting played a key role in our global amplification strategy, allowing us to segment our content on Facebook and hone in on specific territories for their respective releases. Altogether, our coordination for each launch enabled a warm welcome to agents everywhere.

As our agents began their first mission, we made sure talent welcomed them as well by calling out the cast and creators where possible in post copy to encourage engagement. We found that book series author Anthony Horowitz and fan-favorite Brenock O’Connor were the most active on our pages, so we focused our efforts on utilizing their reach.

Given the global nature of the show, we made sure to craft relatable, action-packed, and above all, engaging content that catered to all audiences throughout release. Since our fans are always looking for more intel and action, we tapped into their readiness to engage by creating gamified content and assets that incorporated calls to action.

We leaned heavily into the platform algorithm by experimenting with carousels of episodic stills and maximizing stories, while also utilizing a variety of fan-focused content. We sourced fan cams, cursed fan art, and featured characters and dynamics that our fans were buzzing about. By keeping a pulse on the conversation, our fans felt heard and seen, making this campaign truly made for the fans.

PHASE III (SUSTAIN)

As Alex Rider premiered around the globe, we continuously refreshed our strategy to keep the conversation alive. Once fans completed the series, we shifted our focus to encourage rewatching while also feeding into speculation surrounding Season 2. Fans were hot on our heels with asks for intel on the upcoming season, so we played into their growing curiosity by planting seeds in our content and copy. To balance out the secrecy surrounding Season 2, we leaned into fans’ love of Season 1, inviting them to reminisce on their favorite characters and scenes.

RESULTS

Alex Rider kept agents on the edge of their seats, staying on top of the social conversation with our campaign garnering over 408K organic engagements and 2.6M impressions across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Given the show’s success in other key territories around the world, Alex Rider was renewed for Season 2 prior to its Season 1 premiere in the U.S. on IMDbTV. By generating a campaign that focused on the fans and geared them up for action, we made our first mission for Alex Rider a smashing success.