NEW SERIES SUCCESS

Following the breakthrough success of British short film '61 HUGS' - marketed exclusively by Icons & Machines - we approached the release of CK Goldiing's new series THE BENCH with genuine excitement.

The question was: how do we respect the strategic learnings gained through marketing the hugely successful '61 HUGS', but breathe fresh vitality into this campaign?

The answer: be bold, be fearless, be unapologetic.

Although THE BENCH is an independent production, budget limitations should never undermine the creativity, resourcefulness & aesthetics of a marketing campaign's visual, so at Icons & Machines, we benchmarked our goals not against independent productions, but against the popular mainstream series' of Netflix & Amazon Prime.

Undoubtedly, the striking art direction piqued interest - encouraging audiences to seek-out this new series - audiences who subsequently posted remarkable reviews online. 

At Icons & Machines, we managed the entire Marketing campaign for THE BENCH, including:

• Art design & creative direction of all promotional assets across print & digital (posters, flyers, banners, gifs & social media artwork)
• Media strategy (coordinated the official series release with award-winning entertainment website JumpCut Online)
• Press placements (secured exclusive online interviews & features with influential entertainment websites) 
• Video production (produced series trailers and a variety of  promotional teaser clips)
• Talent management (booked creative talent to support the overall Marketing production - including commissioning emerging photographer Collette Evans & leading UK voice artist Mark Chadwick - as heard on O2, Sky Sports, 888 Poker commercials and now, voicing the official trailer for THE BENCH)

Below - a selection of exclusive interview features with entertainment websites, including JumpCut Online, RGM Magazine, Liberty Belle Magazine & Doc Weekly:

Marketing the series via press junket interviews was pivotal in elevating perceptions of THE BENCH. Press junkets are incredibly rare in independent TV & film - they're marketing tools typically reserved for mainstream entertainment. 

With interviews secured across the BBC & award-winning entertainment websites, the release of THE BENCH attracted strong engagement across popular digital platforms.

To develop reach and audience, 'traditional' print was zealously embraced. Of course, digital marketing is incredibly powerful, but physical marketing offers significant gains, too. With this in mind, high quality design & print is an ongoing priority of this campaign.

Filmed in the Light Cinema, watch how we brought public & print together below. Aren't they handsome, though?

​Are you ready for THE BENCH?

 To watch SERIES 001 free - click here