Derek E. Baird > About > Publications > Recommendations > Portfolio, Case Studies & Projects
Warner Bros. Entertainment Group was interested in tapping into the power of fandoms, influencers, youth culture, e-commerce and social media of viewers who were watching Millennial centric television programming on The CW Network.
Our team partnered with a social media entertainment start-up, code-named Kumbuya, that was spun out of the Warner Bros. Media Camp accelerator program, to gauge the power of online fan communities, influencers and the viability of turning fan energy and interest into sales revenue.
The founding philosophy was to create the ultimate online gathering place where The CW Network could partner with and empower influencers with a forum where they can share fan art, UGC, view premium show content, build a robust fan community and connect with the stars of their favorite CW programs.
Project Execution
For this pilot program, we designed a web-based, premium content, social media, fandom community strategy around The Vampire Diaries, the #1 show on The CW Network.
We partnered with an advisory group of influencers and hand selected superfans nationwide who provided key insights and ideation to inform the new positioning and marketing strategy for The CW Network.
To bring the positioning to life, we created a platform where people can connect to the content, communities and commerced they value most and creating a world-class fan experience.
The tone and feel is a welcoming, trustworthy, dynamic community environment where fans of The CW can gather together and share their passions, experiences, interests and sell their creations, collectively telling their We Story.
Communication touch points: brand identity guidelines, website landing pages, social profiles, social media content, influencer partnerships, online video, community strategy, and creative strategy.
Outcomes
To bring the new positioning to life, we created the central brand campaign: Where Fans Gather: putting a face to The CW Network as a central community hub where fandoms built around their programming were supported, nurtured and celebrated.
Our CW communities were created and managed by influencers who want to foster connections and cultivate experiences with others who share their passions.
We created a single, cohesive visual design and social engagement and marketing strategy that resulted in a 49% increase in new sign-ups over a 6-month timeframe for the product beta.
Our advisory board and consumer insight research found that our brand guidelines, creative strategy, social media, and content demonstrated to the CW fandom ecosystem and maker communities that The CW Network supports, listens and validates their experiences and contributions to the show culture.
Recent Comments