October 05, 2016

Netflix Proves Where They Lead, You Will Follow

Jake Pasdach – Account Coordinator & Associate Editor of The Oklahoma 100

Today’s PR and marketing pros are presented with the challenge of inventing a unique “wow” factor. It is estimated that consumers now see 5,000 ads per day, which begs the perplexing question, “How can we stand out and break through the clutter to generate a response?”

A recent example of a standout PR success comes from Netflix and their efforts to publicize Gilmore Girls: A Day in the Life, a revival of the classic TV show – and it worked like a charm.

Netflix announced earlier this year that they are reviving Gilmore Girls – the charismatic TV series set in a storybook Connecticut town filled with dreamers, artists and everyday people. The show focused on Lorelai Gilmore, her daughter Rory and their share of friends and family in Stars Hollow.

There was plenty of buzz after the announcement back in July, but the multinational entertainment company raised the bar for PR pros to Goliath-like proportions by creating a nationwide experience for customers, potential customers and all Gilmore Girls fans across America.

On Oct. 5, Netflix turned over 200 coffeehouses nationwide into Luke’s Diner, an adored hangout spot throughout the original series, in celebration of the 16th anniversary of the show’s debut and ahead of the release of the show’s revival on Nov. 25. Each contemporary diner included décor from the show, employees dressed in character costumes (Luke’s aprons, backward caps) and Luke’s Diner props and coffee cups, which feature classic Gilmore Girls quotes, such as, “Nothing says coffee like six in the morning.” –Lorelai (Season 3, Ep. 7). Some coffee shops gave out free coffee and Netflix even encoded the bottom of select coffee cups with a free 3-month subscription to the popular streaming media and video service.

To further enhance the campaign’s engagement and experience, Netflix created townofstarshollow.org, which assumes the fictional town’s perspective and tone of characters featured in the show listing, “Please excuse any outdated sections of our site as we (Kirk) misplaced the password in 2007. He just found it.”

The Result? A CAFFEINATED SUCCESS!

Netflix Created an Experience:

After hearing the word of the pop-up Luke’s Diners, fans across the nation traveled to one of the 200 locations. The pop-up diners allowed fans to recall their warm and fuzzy memories of the show for a final push of publicity, which resulted in massive amounts of fans sharing content across social media.

Netflix Played on Nostalgia/Paid Homage to the Brand:

Although I’ve never seen an episode of the classic series, it’s obvious to me that Netflix recognized two things: 1) Gilmore Girls has a unique and significantly loyal fan base. 2) Timing is everything. What a better time for pop-up Luke’s Diners than the fluttering beginning of fall, a month before the release of Netflix’s Gilmore Girls revival and the day of the show’s 16th anniversary of its first episode on Oct. 5.

Netflix drew on the nostalgia of the show and included everyone. According to the full list of locations, every state included at least one “pop-up diner” (with even Oklahoma having four locations).

Photo courtesy of Claire Cowman

Netflix proved that Where They Lead, You Will Follow.

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Netflix is bringing back the comedy-drama on Nov. 25 as a four-episode miniseries titled "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." Stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel will reprise their roles.

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