CLIENT - AMC Networks / Shudder
ROLE - Art Director & Creative Strategist
ROLE - Art Director & Creative Strategist
Overview
Faced with platform restrictions due to graphic content, The Sadness required a non-traditional campaign strategy to become Shudder’s next major success.
Faced with platform restrictions due to graphic content, The Sadness required a non-traditional campaign strategy to become Shudder’s next major success.
Strategy
- Identified high-performing ad formats through market analysis: video led performance, but traditional trailers were flagged across platforms
- Developed an innovative workaround: combining red-band trailer footage with influencer reaction videos
- Supported with teaser clips, influencer partnerships, and community-driven hype in horror-centric spaces (Reddit, podcasts, Discord)
Results
- Most-streamed launch title in Shudder’s history
- Successfully bypassed ad restrictions while generating viral interest
- Reinforced Shudder’s positioning as a fearless, envelope-pushing brand for horror purists
SEE MORE WORK FROM AMC NETWORKS
Trailer Strategy
Too graphic for most platforms, The Sadness couldn’t run a standard trailer. The solution? A creative workaround—pairing explicit footage with real-time influencer reaction cuts. The result: a disturbingly entertaining, platform-safe trailer that amplified shock, curiosity, and shareability.
Too graphic for most platforms, The Sadness couldn’t run a standard trailer. The solution? A creative workaround—pairing explicit footage with real-time influencer reaction cuts. The result: a disturbingly entertaining, platform-safe trailer that amplified shock, curiosity, and shareability.
WARNING: This content may still be graphic for some viewers.
