Kate Modern - Taylor Herring

Case Study: Kate Modern
Client: Bebo

Overview
Bebo, the UK’s number one social networking site, appointed Taylor Herring on a 6 month brief to launch ground-breaking internet drama KateModern in the summer of 2007. A spin off of the hugely successful Lonelygirl15 web series, KateModern was a bold new step in interactive entertainment for a UK audience – presenting a new entertainment proposition for both Bebo users and media alike.

Brief
With KateModern, Bebo sought not only to build a buzz and mainstream awareness for its first original programming commission, but for the site as a whole. Taylor Herring and Force 10 created a PR campaign spanning both traditional and online media to meet key objectives.

The Campaign
Kicking off with a guerrilla style, grafitti tagging campaign across London, interest in KateModern was stirred up from the word go with a series of intriguing messages chalked on pavements across the capital - KateModern is …not lonely; KateModern is …fat free; KateModern is …machine washable - making people wonder just who this Kate was?! Newspaper and magazine offices were targeted as well as London radio stations and private members clubs.

Utilising traditional media, an initial burst of press was coordinated by Taylor Herring to place positioning pieces and introduce the new concept, beginning slowly and designed to build with momentum in line with the series itself. Moving forward, initially series star Ralf Little was the focus of press as his profile opened doors to discuss the series in a number of broadcast arenas in particular. In line with the rapid take up of the series, the brief then expanded to allow for more proactive placement of press including wider cast and creator profiling, activity around storylines, live events, guest stars as well as product integrations. Taylor Herring also thought outside the box to get the press to view the series from the inside out, integrating journalists into the story to provide a unique angle.

Our online team (Force 10) placed features about the series and conducted continuous forum promotion targeting the key TV and youth sited. In addition, Force 10 also regularly posted comments on videos, blogs and character profiles as the story developed, as well as building relationships with KateModern fans, encouraging discussion about the show and greater audience participation.

As more and more people embraced KateModern and its bite-sized interactive format, more media across print, broadcast and online also embraced the concept, ensuring the phenomenon that is KateModern was front of mind as one of 2007’s hottest properties.

Results
Taylor Herring delivered a high profile campaign to launch KateModern, building strong awareness for what began as an unknown and entirely uncharted concept, spring-boarding it to the status of topical talking point. By penetrating mainstream media, huge awareness for the series was assured.

A wide range of print coverage was achieved including great positioning pieces in The Sunday Times Culture and Sunday Times Magazine initially. Double page spreads in the Mail on Sunday and Company Magazine resulted from brave journalists jumping into cameo roles, while further coverage appeared in Metro, Sunday Times Style magazine, Zoo Magazine, The London Paper, Woman’s Own, TNT Magazine and syndicated coverage on PA News. Trade focused coverage for KateModern included Ad Age, Broadcast, TBI Magazine and New Media Age.

Broadcast media was a key campaign component, with highlights including a positive review on GMTV, appearances for star Ralf Little on Richard & Judy and BBC Breakfast while lead actress Alex Weaver and creator Miles Beckett appeared on This Morning and Radio Five Live. Bebo President Joanna Shields and Miles Beckett also appeared on a high profile BBC Radio Two series entitled I Wish I’d Thought of That.

Taylor Herring’s campaign for KateModern reached in excess of 49 million readers, viewers and listeners, taking KateModern went from hero to zero, beginning as an unknown quantity and ending the year with 27 million views on Bebo.

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