What do you do when you’re not ready to say goodbye?
As American Idol entered its 15th season on television, Fox decided not to renew the reality-based competition show for additional seasons, opting instead to market this as the final season to ensure a boost in ratings. But Fremantle, the media production company of this long-running show, wanted their brand to live on—regardless of whether or not it was on Fox. After all, this was the show that helped launch an entire new genre of television, and had grown not only to become a billion dollar franchise, but also a much-beloved household name.
The Solution
Working with Fremantle, Anyone™ created a subtle but effective ad campaign strategy above and beyond Fox’s marketing efforts, in order to ensure that fans knew, even though this was the farewell season on Fox, American Idol was here to stay. Taking a dual-pronged approach, Anyone™ focused on two major drivers of Idol’s past success to reengage the existing fanbase in addition to find new eyes.
1 Million+
Increase in Facebook page likes.
Surprise & Delight
At the beginning of season 15, Anyone™ launched an #IdolLove campaign, which communicated to the fanbase how much American Idol appreciated them. Celebrity judges Jenifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr., and Keith Urban, along with host Ryan Seacrest, echoed the importance of American Idol’s loyal fanbase and worked with our team to create special moments with individual fans. Many of these moments resulted in viral videos and massive social engagement. #IdolLove was about giving back to the fans that made the show the success story it is. By pulling from personal stories and connecting on a human level, the campaign showed fans where the heart of American Idol was, reminding viewers why they loved the show.
5 Million+
Digital Video Views