Speak about champagne issues: Your extremely touted tv sequence, primarily based on very fashionable supply materials, premieres to massive scores, fan adoration and a second season renewal. Now, that you must make sure the present’s trajectory retains rising. How do you keep away from the dreaded “sophomore droop”?
That’s the place the advertising crew is available in. However in our fragmented digital media ecosystem, spreading the phrase about your Season 2 premiere date just isn’t sufficient. Certainly, there’s a lot time, effort and cash spent on molding a present’s return into the type of must-see occasion that can draw viewers previous and new.
Two streaming titles, each within the motion/fantasy style, not too long ago pulled again the curtain for The Envelope, detailing their sophomore advertising methods. The primary, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” which returned to Disney+ on Dec. 10, follows the adventures of the titular son of Poseidon and demigod (Walker Scobell) from co-creator and govt producer Rick Riordan’s e book sequence. The second, Netflix’s “One Piece,” which returns March 10, follows the ragtag Straw Hat Pirates of govt producer Eiichiro Oda’s manga sequence as they pursue the precious One Piece treasure.
For each, the logistical intricacies of casting bulletins, trailers and key artwork are necessary — however they’re nothing with out the eye of every present’s very lively and highly effective fandom.
“You go in realizing that ‘One Piece’ is the primary manga in Japan, however simply how significant that’s to followers is all the time one thing that’s so inspiring,” says Jonathan Helfgot, Netflix’s vice chairman of promoting, U.S. and Canada. “Seeing how followers responded to the characters and the execution of those characters that they’ve cherished for thus lengthy was great to see and one thing we knew we needed to bridge between Season 1 and a pair of. We knew that preserving these characters alive of their lives was going to be so necessary.”
Remaining related within the offseason has develop into a good better problem within the period of prolonged hiatuses between seasons airing. “Percy” had 23 months between its Season 1 finale in January 2024 and final month’s Season 2 premiere. The hole is even wider for “One Piece” as greater than two and a half years may have handed by the point new episodes drop. Blame the 2023 Hollywood strikes together with the truth that massive fantasy tasks take significantly extra time to shoot given the flowery units, costumes and particular results required.
As such, each streamers’ advertising groups make use of an “always-on” strategy to engagement with followers. In “Percy’s” case, “That is, as you’ll be able to think about, a hyper-engaged, rabid fan base on social and we’re tapping into them routinely and ensuring we’re persevering with that dialogue. We then need to be certain we’re honoring them with what we’re delivering from a marketing campaign perspective,” says Erin Weir, govt vice chairman, advertising for ABC and Disney Leisure Tv.
These advertising campaigns transcend social media posts to maintain anticipation at a fever pitch and actively interact the fandom whereas additionally attracting new viewers. “That is actually as massive because it will get within the tv area,” says Weir of the “Percy” marketing campaign, which included a number of partnerships, an activation and solid panel at San Diego Comedian-Con final July and, nearer to the Season 2 launch, takeovers in New York Metropolis and Chicago in addition to a 3D billboard activation in Hollywood with a water-filled tidal wave impact. “That is one thing that individuals are anticipating and are coming into our streaming providers for and actually desirous to make a second out of it.”
Though the second season of “One Piece” (subtitled “Into the Grand Line”) doesn’t air till March, a gradual stream of press releases have been coming for months. For instance, the primary teaser trailer and Season 3 renewal got here in August; October noticed the Season 2 premiere date announcement and first look pictures; and November touted Season 3 starting manufacturing in South Africa with the casting information of Tony winner Cole Escola (“Oh, Mary!”) as morally challenged Bon Clay.
The advertising machine didn’t take the vacations off both. “One Piece” launched a Christmas Day NFL pregame announcement that fan favourite character Tony Tony Chopper, beforehand introduced as showing in Season 2, shall be voiced by Ikue Ōtani, who additionally voiced the anime character for almost twenty years. Additionally on the identical day, iconic character Dr. Hiriluk (Mark Harelik) appeared in stay motion in a worldwide first look.
When the sky’s the restrict for hyping these massive exhibits, how aggressive do issues get between groups? Not a lot, says Helfgot, including it’s a superb factor to have a look at what the competitors is doing, however all goes again to the fandom. “The very best advertising and the most effective fan engagement comes if you end up a fan your self so that you get enthusiastic about different individuals getting excited,” he says. “It’s extra to simply keep in contact with the fan a part of ourselves.”
