Title	THE WALKING PREMIÈRE
Brand	DISNEY+
Product/Service	THE WALKING DEAD
Category	B01. Use of TV & Other Screens
Entrant	PUBLICIS Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
Idea Creation	PUBLICIS Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
Media Placement	PUBLICIS Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
Production	PUBLICIS Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS

Name	Company	Position
Nathalie Duchatelet	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Account Director
Martin Ozfirat	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Account Executive
Maarten Van Herck	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Commerce lead
Nicolas Vergauwen	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Brand & Campaign Strategist
Eduardo Marques	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Chief Creative Officer Benelux
Lode Vochten	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Creative Director
Sander Bergmeijer	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Copywriter
Lennard Freij	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Creative
Sandor Wouters	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Creative
Marc Van Buggenhout	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Moving Images Lead
Daan Feytongs	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Moving Images Producer
Sam Ostyn	Amok	DOP
Joris Van der Plaetsen	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Content Creator
Jeroen Van Laethem	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Content Creator
Pascal Braeckman	-	Sound
Saartje Goris	Publicis Groupe Belgium	Sound Producer
Tom Garcia	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Sound Lead
Mathias Lewis	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Sound Engineer
Steef Nijhof	Publicis Groupe Benelux	Senior Art Director

Why is this work relevant for Media?

The Walking Dead is a series that consumers watch 99% of their time at home behind their television, laptop or smartphone. For the final season of one of the world's longest-running and popular series, we brought this traditional medium to a setting that totally fits the Walking Dead series. An abandoned military compound. And offered a number of super fans the opportunity to watch their series while walking on a gigantic screen.

Background

The Walking Dead was launching its final season, season 11. A zombie show that has achieved cult status. That translates in a lot of super fans, yet viewership had been in steady decline for years. The final season gave us the opportunity to go out with a bang. Our first objective was reaching those super fans, those that kept watching no matter what, and getting them involved. Making sure they were aware of the start of the final season. Secondly, we also needed to get those that tuned out involved again. Making sure they got that FOMO feeling for the final season of the Walking Dead.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

To launch the final season of the Walking Dead Fox Belgium invited die-hard fans to a unique, one-off event: The Walking Premiere. Organizing a contest, we selected the biggest fans to watch the new season’s first episode at a desolate venue (an abandoned military complex) in Vilvoorde. Dressed as Walkers, they experienced the Last Walk - quite literally – with larger-than-life intensity, as they walked behind a giant driving screen that was broadcasting the highly anticipated episode.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

When you look at the target audience for The Walking Dead it’s mainly people (male and female aged from 35 to 49) with a rich imagination that love to get lost in a fantasy world. The Walking Dead is/was a moment to take a break and escape reality 11 seasons long. We started from the insight, a final season of Walking Dead, also means it’s the final aimless walk for all these zombies (unless a human prey is involved). They are what made the series iconic while often just strolling around, they were always able to steal the show. Now was the time to let our fantasy lovers flip the script and be part of this final walk. Creating a unique brand experience that would connect with super fans and get those that tuned out involved once more.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We organized an activation on social media, bannering and on the FOX Belgium TV channel with a call to action to subscribe to our event and to see the first episode of the final season with a unique experience. The reactions were huge: 13k fans entered after 24h. Two weeks later the event took place, we notified 150 die-hard fans right in advance to join us at a dressed-up abandoned military complex in Vilvoorde the night of the premiere. Walkers were welcoming guests and make-up artists were present to make everyone as bloody as a Walking Dead premiere requires. When the episode started, our gigantic moving screen of 30m2 started moving, just like all the Walkers behind it to see the beginning of the end of The Walking Dead.

List the results (30% of vote)

When you look at the target audience for The Walking Dead it’s mainly people (male and female aged from 35 to 49) with a rich imagination that love to get lost in a fantasy world. The Walking Dead is/was a moment to take a break and escape reality 11 seasons long. We started from the insight, a final season of Walking Dead also means it’s the final aimless walk for all these zombies (unless a human prey is involved). They are what made the series iconic while often just strolling around, they were always able to steal the show. Now was the time to let our fantasy lovers flip the script and be part of this final walk. Creating a unique brand experience that would connect with super fans and get those that tuned out involved once more.