Adolescence Is Beyond Your Social Feeds
British TV has a habit of striking a cultural chord seemingly out of nowhere. Shows like Baby Reindeer and I May Destroy You stunned audiences with their raw storytelling about the complexities of trauma and obsession. Its willingness to approach stories from unconventional angles makes it stand out and push on the boundaries of genre formulas. And now, Netflix’s Adolescence is dominating the cultural conversation.
With a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and near-universal acclaim for its single-take episodes, the show’s exploration of toxic masculinity and online radicalization is sparking all sorts of discussions and panic. On the surface, Adolescence is a four-part series that begins with a 13-year-old boy being arrested for murdering his female classmate. At its core however, the series confronts audiences with a portrayal of unsettling, timely social themes: toxic masculinity in the social media age. At a time when audiences are leaning on Entertainment for escape from the anxieties of the real world, the success of Adolescence serves as a case study for how to market a series with inherent audience barriers. A traditional campaign for a series like this risks signaling to audiences “too heavy,” or a social POV some audiences might quickly assume “not for me.” Here are 3 takeaways for how the show took an approach beyond the modern playbook, initially hooking viewers through bold filmmaking and then letting the discourse and discussion validate the show for broader audiences:
Focusing On Bold Filmmaking: Netflix strategically released a series of social media posts and behind-the-scenes content showcasing the show’s innovative continuous single-take approach. While single-take shots aren’t new to film or television, the way Adolescence weaves them so organically into the storytelling makes it feel more like watching a live play than a traditional TV show. Focusing the early campaign around this creatively compelling reason to watch simplified the sell for a core influential Entertainment segment.
Leaving Room For Interpretation: Rather than spelling out its themes of online misogyny and teenage alienation in traditional campaign assets, the campaign let audiences grapple with the story’s devastating questions through organic social debate, creating buzz which served as a point of validation for audiences on the fence or not yet aware of the show. Knowing audiences needed some levity, Netflix posted a fun video of the series leads fishing.
Leading With Critical Acclaim: Adolescence has garnered universally glowing reviews, described by one outlet as “the closest thing to TV perfection in decades.” Putting acclaim front and center in the marketing approach, particularly opinion which suggests a level of empathy and thoughtfulness for the modern youth experience versus a critique of it, is a tactic that has minimized barriers for audiences who might otherwise assume a show like this is heavy subject matter without substance.