Netflix's Black Mirror Marketing Magic
Well, it appears Netflix users may have overlooked a crucial aspect of signing up to the platform - those dreaded terms and conditions! The latest season of Black Mirror on Netflix has been unleashed, and it’s got everyone buzzing with excitement. The very first episode, ‘Joan Is Awful’ is causing quite a stir, prompting viewers to question their own actions and realise the importance of reading those terms and conditions…or else you might just end up on a billboard! Not sure what we’re talking about? Let’s discuss!
The Premier of ‘Joan Is Awful’ on Streamberry
If you're not up to speed on the episode, here's a quick summary (brace yourself for spoilers!). Our protagonist, Joan, depicted by Annie Murphy, receives the shock of her life when she stumbles upon a TV drama based on her own existence, courtesy of the streaming giant Streamberry. This fictional platform produces the show about Joan entirely in CGI using a quantum computer that gathers real-time data on their users’ everyday lives from their personal devices. The platform is able to do this because of a clause regarding the use of user’s data enclosed in the terms and conditions when signing up to Streamberry.
So, you can imagine Joan's shock as she innocently opens the platform one night, only to realise that her every move is being monitored and turned into prime-time entertainment. The biggest kicker, though? They've painted her in a rather unflattering manner! It's like living under a constant microscope, with her every action promptly broadcasted on the show. A little creepy, right?
Netflix’s Genius Marketing Campaign
If you were spooked by the show itself, imagine the shock some users experienced when they suddenly found their own name and picture on real billboards all over the UK! Right after the Black Mirror episode aired, Netflix launched a promotional Streamberry website. Users could sign up, upload their photo, and receive a customised version of the "Joan is Awful" Netflix banner.
But here's the catch: if you paid attention during the show, you would've noticed this as a huge red flag right away. Signing up meant giving Netflix permission to use your information for a campaign, but many people overlooked the familiar "terms and conditions" button, even after being warned by the show!
So, what was in these terms and conditions?
If you’ve learnt anything from the episode, you might like to read through the terms and conditions below for the Streamberry experience:
TLDR; basically, by signing up, you're granting Netflix the freedom to utilise your image as they please, specifically for their Black Mirror marketing blitz. Imagine the utter confusion of UK users who stumbled upon their own name and image on billboards throughout their town, all in the name of promoting the show.
Compelling Twist On TV Show Promotion
This marketing campaign is pure genius, brilliantly highlighting how users tend to casually breeze past tedious terms and conditions. Even after witnessing Joan’s experience on the show, users still carelessly skipped over the fine print and were met with the shocking site of their own faces on billboards. Imagine being in their shoes - we’d be totally freaked out!
Netflix’s campaign takes a refreshingly unconventional approach to a show promotion, grabbing the attention of users worldwide. It’s no wonder the campaign has sparked so much conversation online. We think this was a brilliant campaign and Netflix’s marketing team outdid themselves!
Now the big question… are you going to read terms and conditions more thoroughly? Or will you continue skipping over them?
