The Handmaid’s Tale was one of the most talked about shows of 2017. So how could Channel 4 build on the buzz and make sure the UK was ready for the launch of Series 2? Our challenge: to make sure 1.5 million viewers tune in for the first episode.
At a time when the gender pay gap debate was prominent and women all over the world were rightly speaking out against harassment and inequality, we knew the show’s subject matter was the key.
We decided to create temporary outrage with messaging that gave the public a taste of Gilead’s twisted fundamentalist state – and with the oppression of women as its subject matter.
The campaign took a heavy dose of bravery from Channel 4. Together we developed a series of frightening messages from Gilead officials, enforcing their laws in modern day Britain. Our censorship messages were unmissable, deliberately planned for contextual relevance to supercharge their brutal impact.