Thinking Inside the Box: Learn how this streaming app upped the ante for its hit show!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: Hello! I’m excited to share with you another story that exemplifies the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing. For those of you who may not know, guerrilla marketing is an out-of-the-box tactic that encourages marketers to engage with their target audiences in an unforgettable and meaningful way. I am a huge fan of this strategy because it pushes marketers to come up with radical and witty tactics to engage with their target audience. Today, I’ll highlight a stunt that was used to promote a highly-acclaimed TV series! Ready to know more? Continue reading below! |
Thinking Inside the Box: Learn how this streaming app upped the ante for its hit show! Picture this: You’re at the Grand Central Station in New York City, soaking in the sights and weaving through the sea of people at the busy station. … and while you do these things, you find an office cubicle enclosed in a glass box in the middle of the busy train station. Not only that. As you get closer, people inside the glass box appear to be working, talking the way anyone would in a typical office. That’s exactly what fans of the hit TV show “Severance” and bystanders saw in January 2025, when Apple TV+ staged a guerrilla marketing stunt at the Grand Central Station.
For those who may not know, “Severance” is a 2022 American science fiction psychological thriller created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller. It stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, and Sarah Bock. The Apple TV+ show follows employees at the fictional corporation Lumon Industries that have undergone a procedure called “severance,” which strips them of their memories of the outside world while at work and prevents them from recalling their job once they leave. Since the show’s 2022 premiere, it has garnered critical acclaim from critics and viewers, with it going on to become the most watched series in the history of Apple TV+ by 2025. Now that you know about the series, let’s turn our attention back to the stunt. As part of the buildup for the second season’s 2025 release, Apple TV+ cooked up a guerrilla marketing stunt to generate hype. The pop-up set, enclosed in a glass box, was filled with computers, chairs, and office cubicles that were reminiscent of the ones used in “Severance.” What else? The show’s actors were in attendance themselves and were seen sitting, working, cleaning the carpets of their makeshift office, and were conversing with each other like they usually do in the show!
The hit show’s creator and director were in attendance as well, and were spotted taking pictures of the stunt and entertaining fans who asked for photos with them. Now, for the important question… Was the guerrilla marketing stunt a success? The answer is a resounding YES! Fans and bystanders who spotted the guerrilla marketing stunt posted photos and videos on social media, with some sharing their live reactions. Speaking of social media, the stunt generated buzz and engagement as can be seen through these stats:
The stunt also led to a major increase in mentions of “Severance” and Apple TV+ on the Internet, just a few days before its January 17, 2025 release. All in all, the guerrilla marketing stunt was a success, and more importantly, it generated hype for fans and fostered intrigue among those who have to watch “Severance.” Creating Impact So, what does this guerrilla marketing tactic teach us? It shows that experiential and immersive stunts go a long way in fostering interest among a target audience. By bringing the world of “Severance” into the real world, Apple TV+ and the team behind it were able to leverage immersion and mystery to create a memorable campaign that went beyond traditional promotion and advertising. The next time you think of a campaign, consider taking inspiration from this success story! You never know, doing that just might be what you need to amp up your brand’s visibility! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available on Amazon! Free Birds Revolution: The Future of Work & The Independent Mind This new bestseller is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice. Click on the link above to order your copy. Let this bestselling book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one brand served up a LITERALLY sobering and in-depth message against drunk boating in 2022? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
