Issue #51: Brand Bite of the Week
The Severance stunt that everyone is talking about.
Good morning and happy Sunday. I’m on my way to San Francisco for the next few days and typing this from the gate at JFK (please excuse any typos, I woke up at 5:30). Last night I re-watched The Worst Person in the World, upon recommendation from my friend
, and it did not disappoint. But in case you were wondering, that’s the reason I didn’t get around to writing this piece yesterday, when I should have.Brand Bite of the Week: Severance’s Grand Central Pop-Up 🏢
How could I write about anything other than the Severance pop-up in Grand Central Station for this Brand Bite of the Week?? It was the best marketing stunt of the week – possibly the month – and I regret not sprinting to Grand Central as soon as I heard about it.
On Tuesday evening, the cast of Severance – including Adam Scott, Britt Lower, and Patricia Arquett – spent over an hour playing their characters in a glass box containing a small-scale set that closely resembled the show’s iconic Lumon office. The glass box was planted in the middle of the daily rush of Grand Central commuters and passerby, who crowded around it to capture photos and watch in awe.
With the second season of Severance launching just a few days later on Friday, the stunt was a genius promotional tactic. Fans of the show loved the specific, accurate props and details included in the pop-up, like caricature portraits (gifts that Lumon employees receive for completing files) and a red ball used in an icebreaker scene in the first season.
It’s worth noting that onlookers couldn’t hear anything happening in the cube, but they could hear a static noise emanating from a speaker that’s also seen in the show. What’s most astounding is that the cast was in the box for over an hour, and during rush hour nonetheless.
What Worked
Showing up in such a wildly public, busy place with the actual cast of the show is such a smart surprise-and-delight moment that there was no doubt it was going to spur social coverage and media buzz. They were likely able to capture a diverse audience, too. The stunt took place without prior notice and during rush hour, so Apple TV+ likely reached a lot of people who didn’t previously know about the show, but who will now definitely watch it, thus increasing show awareness.
But then there’s the insane wit behind this stunt. If you haven’t seen Severance, the show grapples with themes of identity and self, surveillance, and work-life balance. The decision to activate in a glass box in a highly public place, frequented by commuters (many of whom sit at cubicles all day!), and surrounded by people snapping photos and videos, is just spot-on. I want to know who came up with this idea.
What Can We Learn?
Create an intimate celebrity interaction. It seems like TV and movie marketing has taken off over the past few years. I mean, between Wicked and Barbie and everything in-between, entertainment marketing is going to great lengths to get people to watch. But a lot of movie and TV marketing relies on buzzy brand partnerships and celebrity appearances. And while this Severance stunt contained celebrity appearances, it did so in a really intimate, accessible way. It wasn’t a red carpet moment or a press appearance; it was simply the show’s stars playing their characters in a public place.
Meet an audience where they are. Apple TV+ could have marketed this pop-up as an event, asking fans to attend. But instead, they brought the show directly to the fans (and non-fans!), without a word about it in advance. It made the stunt all the more buzzy and impactful. But it’s also important to note that location is key here. In this case, they weren’t worried about turnout – Grand Central Station is sure to be busy on a Tuesday evening during rush hour.
Drop some easter eggs. Granted, this tactic comes into play when marketing something that already has a fan following, like the second season of a TV show or a 12th album (ahem, Taylor). But because they’re on their second season, and because this show is ripe for puzzles and clues, this stunt succeeded in sparking a ton of fan conversations and theories about what might be coming in future episodes, once again generating social chatter and buzz.
What did you think of the Severance stunt? And if you had the chance to see it in person, please share your experience! I’m jealous. xx
the definition of "show, not tell" when it comes to marketing. genius!!