The Campaign
To promote Season Two of its turn-of-the-century crime drama, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, with TNT we partnered with several organizations whose legacies reach all the way back to the show’s setting of 1897 Manhattan in the Gilded Age.
Initially, we had been working on a more traditional premiere campaign, with experiential, digital, and brand partnership elements. However, due to the pandemic, we elected to pivot to a strategy integrating a pro-social component, influencer/press kits, and a first-of-its kind digital pop-up merch store.
Delmonico’s
One of the protagonists’ frequent haunts in the series is Delmonico’s Steakhouse in the Financial District, which opened in 1837. The restaurant is almost like another character in the show and still exists today, even though it had been closed for indoor dining since the pandemic began.
To commemorate the season two premiere of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, we developed a brand partnership that allowed TNT to give back to the city that inspired the hit series. New York City, like many others, had been hugely impacted by COVID-19 during the campaign’s run in the summer of 2020, and TNT wanted to thank those fighting on the frontlines to keep its residents healthy as well as giving to those who were affected.
We commissioned the historic dining institution and in-series on-location setting to open their doors for one day only to deliver meals specially-prepared by their executive chef to hundreds of healthcare workers and the community that had been impacted by COVID-19.
With the help of local partner Feed the Frontlines NYC, the meal deliveries featured a special three-course menu including select items that appeared on the show. The signature dishes included the classic BLT wedge salad, original Delmonico’s steak, and rice pudding cake.
Bergdorf Goodman
Additionally, the iconic luxury institution, Bergdorf Goodman, created a curated selection of merchandise inspired by the show’s award winning costume design. Fans nationwide had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the series by shopping the merchandise online. Those in New York City were able to visit the flagship store to see a custom The Alienist-themed window display, providing the campaign with a physical touchpoint.
Additional Partnerships
To tie it all together, one of the key pieces in the second season campaign was an elaborate, exquisitely produced mailer featuring products you’d expect to find in the show’s world. We worked in collaboration with brand partners that TNT’s VP of Brand Marketing Telmo Tabuas said “have lasted the test of time or capture the timeless spirit of New York City.” These custom boxes were sent out to fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle influencers who promoted the partnerships while encouraging their followers to tune in to the show’s premiere. Influencers included Heather Dubrow, Dorothy Wang, and Taye Hansberry.
Results
The campaign was featured in over a dozen publications and garnered more than 2.6 million impressions. In July 2020, AdAge cited it as an example of an effective pandemic-era strategy pivot: https://adage.com/creativity/work/tnt-alienist-season-2-promotional-campaign/2268691
About TNT
TNT is basic cable’s #1 network in primetime with young adults and is home to one of cable’s most popular slates of original series, including The Alienist, Animal Kingdom, Claws, I Am the Night, Snowpiercer and Tell Me Your Secrets. TNT also presents popular shows such as Arrow, Supernatural, Bones and Castle; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards® and the iHeartRadio Music Awards; and championship sports coverage, including the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
Awards
Ex Awards Gold - Best Entertainment Activation