American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative
American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative American Express Shiraz Creative
The Emmy award-winning reality TV competition RuPaul's Drag Race was seeking a fierce new partner to bring new life to the promotion of their season premiere for Season 13. So they turned to us to come up with some out-of-the-box, showstopping ideas. What we achieved was everything and more than they expected. It has led to a thriving partnership that has now spanned three seasons and is going strong.
CHALLENGE
OPPORTUNITY
Season 13's premiere was scheduled for New Year's Day 2020 when in-person events were strictly prohibited, so we reimagined what experiential marketing can look like in a lockdown. With a dynamic campaign celebrating the "New Year, New Ru" including a one-of-a-kind mailer and an exclusive digital experience, we pushed the premiere to the top of everyone's feed and mind. Fans could sign up for an exclusive, limited edition 2021 Drag Race Calendar featuring the new cast, notable dates in show history, and behind-the-scenes tidbits. Shiraz also produced a "Ru Years Eve" influencer VIP mailer that played Drag Race music at the touch of a button and was packed with goodies to gear up for the premiere, including show journals, scented candles, champagne flutes, custom calendars, cast stickers, and a branded blanket. The final component was a Digital Brunch Meet & Greet where fans were randomly selected for an invitation-only video call hangout with the Queens themselves.
For Season 14, our team brought the candy-coated spirit of their promotional materials to life with another groundbreaking campaign that included an inclusive mailer with a perfect collectible for Drag Race fans: The RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Board Game. Tapping right into the zeitgeist of the pandemic-driven board game boom, the gameplay recreated the arc of an entire Drag Race episode, with players sashaying their way from the Werk Room to the Main Stage. To win, they'd have to "lip sync for their lives" for a chance to finally take the crown! Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the premiere was canceled, so we built the ultimate photo opp: a life-size arcade installation based on the 'claw machine' theme of the 'Runway Ruveal' promo. RuPaul's Drag Race Snapchat filters activated during the premiere offered a chance to be featured on a billboard in Times Square.
After receiving rave reviews for both seasons on VH1, we continued the partnership with a grand celebration for Season 15's move to MTV (formally known as Paramount Global). We went all out with our team creating a unique promotional mailer inspired by the pink drag race car theme from Season 1. Recipients discovered a custom Pit Crew jacket, fuzzy dice, and more show-related swag inside. To build excitement leading up to the premiere, we organized a red-carpet screening event, an extravagant after-party, and a consumer experience open to the public on premiere day in the infamous Oculus building in New York City. The enthusiasm was palpable as over 6,000 guests lined up and engaged with our "Ready, Set, Slay" drag race car activation.
STRATEGY
EXECUTION
Our award-winning promotions and events achieved record engagement for RuPaul's Drag Race. Each season we were able to generate social buzz, re-engage their loyal fanbase, and further expand their viewership.
Our Season 13 campaign reimagined how television marketing could work in a locked-down, pandemic world. Press outlets called our Season 14 board game "the best mailer they've ever received." Recipients saturated social media with enthusiastic unboxings. Our Season 15 premiere campaign achieved the #1 most social engagement for RuPaul Drag Race above all other episodes – including premieres, finales, and reunions -- and resulted in record-high viewership. Our enduring relationship with Paramount Global and RuPaul's Drag Race is a testament to our successful partnership, innovative thinking, and undeniable results.
RESULTS
REACTION
Season 13
2,500 exclusive calendars (11K reserved)
350 VIP mailers (reaching 56MM+ social viewers)
150 Digital Brunches (13K entrants)
#1 Most Social Program (1/1/21, up 144% from prior season)
Season 14
370 exclusive mailers sent (reaching over 24MM followers)
425,000 Claw Machine installation visitors (weekly estimate)
738,000 viewers (up from the previous year's 562,000)
Season 15
2,400+ calendars delivered (in-person and mailers)
6,000+ race car activation interactions
#1 Most Social Premiere To Date (1.3M interactions, up 212%)
#1 Most Engagement on RPDR Accounts (3.6M)
#1 Most Viewed Reality Program that day (35M views)
American Graphic Design Awards 2022
Campaign Big Awards 2022
Clio Entertainment Awards 2022
Promax North America Awards 2022
AWARDS
The feedback internally has been incredibly positive. Pair that with the enthusiasm from recipients of the mailer and fans at the activation and we're looking at 10s, 10s, 10s across the board. - Marketing Executive, Paramount Global