Over the last few years, we’ve watched social TV grow primarily through the rise of intense fan cultures that could finally be heard louder than ever before across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and more. There are now multiple data companies that specifically track this phenomenon on a daily basis for brands and TV networks. It’s not always easy for networks to tap into these cultures in a strategic and meaningful way. NYC-based Campfire has built an expertise in understanding and working with the TV networks behind the most passionate fan-bases.
Campfire uses social storytelling, digital content and physical experiences to help TV networks ignite fan cultures and communities that they’ll need to successfully launch a show or a new season. Their Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner Mike Monello was a co-creator of “The Blair Witch Project,” which is credited in large part for changing the way marketers used the internet for film and TV marketing. Here’s a snippet from The New York Times’ technology section:
After the success of ”The Blair Witch Project” last year, it seemed that anyone with a dream, a camera and an Internet account could get a film made — or, at least, market it cheaply once it was made. After all, if two 20-somethings could shoot a movie and then hype it online, garnering phenomenal media attention and millions of dollars, why couldn’t the average Joe?
Now the agency has been a part of some of the largest social TV activations to date:
– Game of Thrones – A multi-sensory fan experience for HBO’s Game of Thrones. The campaign captivated all fives senses – smell, sight, touch, sound and taste – to demonstrate the attention to detail that HBO would bring to Game of Thrones and helped the show attract more than 2.1 million fans and followers, and draw in the network’s largest premiere audience to date. Campfire also worked with the network for the premiere of Season 2, for a campaign that invites fans to “Pledge Your Allegiance” on social channels and for the bravest most devoted fans, with the ultimate brand pledge – 50 fans received free Game of Thrones tattoos from renowned tattoo artist, Ami James of NY Ink.
– American Horror Story: Campfire helped build anticipation among horror fans for FX’s American Horror Story by bringing together influencers, physical artifacts and youregoingtodieinthere.com, a site that still attracts fans even after the season is over.
– Food Network Star: Most recently, the agency conceived “Who’s Your Star?” with Food Network and Templar Studios, an activation that invites the network’s millions of fans to engage with the program via a social fantasy game. Each week, users will gain access to exclusive previews of upcoming episodes, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with contestants, to give the knowledge for them game and give them opportunities to earn points.
– National Geographic Channel’s Chasing UFOs: They’ve worked with the network to create “The Wow Reply” to connect with passionate sci-fi communities on the social web. The series, which marks the 35th anniversary “The Wow! Signal,” an event in 1977 where scientists supposedly picked up a 72-second transmission from outer space. During the Chasing UFOs premiere on June 29, fans will be encouraged to participate in a global, one-night #ChasingUFOs hashtag event, where they can send their personal @reply to The Wow Signal via Twitter. All messages received will be curated and streamed during future episodes of Chasing UFOs, encouraging viewers to tune in each week. The culmination of the campaign will be held on August 15 , the anniversary of The Wow Signal – when fan messages will actually be beamed into space using a radar transmission facility. They launched a dedicated site for the campaign at www.thewowreply.com.
We spoke with Monello about Food Network Star and the growth of their agency.
Lost Remote: How does the Food Network Star “Who’s Your Star?” Integration Work?
Mike Monello: At Campfire we always try to lean into existing audience behaviors, not try and invent new ones. We identified a burgeoning subculture of fans who were modifying the classic format of “fantasy sports”-style games predicting outcomes (winners and losers) of their favorite reality competition shows in online fan communities and office pools.
With “Who’s Your Star?” we’re providing an official and polished way for fans to recreate this experience and engage with the show on an ongoing, weekly basis while enjoying light competition among friends. It was important for this season of Food Network Star to introduce to the fanbase a complete change of the show’s format: a mentor/”team” element (as opposed to each finalist playing for themselves) and a public vote, which will be counted in the decision for the finale winner.
When fans play the game, the team element led by mentors Alton Brown, Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis is front and center as players have to try to predict which leader will lead their team to victory each week. In hand-picking individual finalists as their favorites to win or lose we’re giving a preview of what fans will be asked to do for the season finale – make a pick to win, except it will count in crowning this year’s Food Network Star!
LR: How is Campfire making TV more social?
Monello: TV has always been social. We used to call it the water cooler and now we call it “social media” but the behaviors are the same. At Campfire, we look at how fans are interacting with each other around a TV series, and look for ways to enhance and make spreadable those existing behaviors.
LR: What TV brands have you worked with?
Monello: We have worked with HBO, USA Network, A&E, FX, Food Network, PBS, Discovery, SyFy, National Geographic and Cinemax, among others.
LR: What’s the future of social TV?
Monello: Acknowledging that predictions are futile, I think the future of social TV (of all entertainment, actually) is in understanding fan cultures, and facilitating the way fans connect with each other and the TV shows they love in new and surprising ways. A strong fan base is the most important thing a TV show can develop and when handled well it can propel a show into the pop culture stratosphere.