Since their launch in 2006, The CW has leaned into their high-profile talent to promote the network ; our goal was to explore new ways to market their content that stand in stark contrast to other entertainment brands.
Since their launch in 2006, The CW has leaned into their high-profile talent to promote the network and their shows. And why not when you’ve got Taye Diggs, Lili Reinhart, Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoit and Cole Sprouse at your fingertips.
But that’s a promotional formula not unique to the network; our goal was to explore new ways to market their content that stand in stark contrast to other entertainment brands.
Context
My CW Story
We pitched a wild card idea: don’t feature talent at all.
The CW has always had a fervent fan following—and often on social media they share stories about why they love a show or character. We used this as a jumping off point, and built a campaign around a simple idea:
Find real fans with real stories about how a CW show has empowered them to live their truth.
No scripts. Nothing fake.
Casting
Finding the Stories
The success of My CW Story hinges on finding fans with the most impactful, compelling stories. That meant a massive casting call where we spoke with hundreds of fans about how the network has positively impacted their lives.
In the end, four fans were selected, who together offered a wide spectrum of shows to highlight and themes to explore:
• Black representation
• LGBTQ equality
• Mental health
• Transgender representation
Pre-Production
Over-Planning & Staying Safe
Planning for a shoot during COVID is…just a little different. Location scouting? Facetime. Directing? Zoom. COVID tests? Yes. Video showing how we got it done? Obviously.
Style
Less is More
To maintain authenticity in all aspects of this campaign, we shot each subject at their home— and didn’t bring any set dressing. And to further put focus on the people and their stories— rather than shiny bells and whistles—all spots were delivered in black & white.
Campaign
Authentic Fan Portraits
We cut a :60 hero spot for each subject, which outlines the full story of how The CW has empowered them to live their truth. We also delivered a series of :15s for each person that digs deeper into different aspects of their story, the show they love, and their life that we weren’t able to cover as in-depth in the :60.
