& Juliet
Integrated Campaign
Case Study

Crafting a 360° Award Campaign Strategy for Broadway Launch of a New Show

Assignment

AKA NYC sought to craft a awards case study showcasing our comprehensive involvement as a full-service agency in the successful Broadway launch of & Juliet. I was tasked with crafting a compelling narrative about how we developed the advertising strategy for the show.

Solution

A case study video and accompanying write-up illustrated the multifaceted nature of our campaign:

Spotlighting the initial challenge of modernizing Shakespeare into a pop icon that resonated with today's audiences.
Leveraging the appeal of Max Martin's iconic songs in our creative.
Putting our innovative social strategy center stage, effectively nurturing a community of pop culture enthusiasts and amplifying engagement.

My Contribution & Results

As lead Awards Producer, I developed the campaign strategy, collaborating seamlessly with multiple departments to ensure an accurate narrative.
Spearheaded writing of the case study video script and accompanying write-up piece.
We won a Silver Clio Entertainment Award for our entry.

Case Study Video

Written Entry

The Challenge

When it arrived on Broadway, & Juliet was a new brand with everything to prove. Yes, it was a musical that riffed on Romeo and Juliet, with a score full of beloved pop hits, but Shakespeare is not always a draw for musical lovers, and Max Martin, who wrote the songs, may be the least famous genius in pop music history.

The challenge was explaining this unusual show to a population that needed to be educated on almost every facet of its identity.

The Solution

For our launch campaign, we focused on what would make audiences truly care about & Juliet: The story. 

Without assuming Shakespeare or Max Martin would be shortcuts to ticket sales, we challenged ourselves to make every asset teach the audience something about the plot.

Key Art

With its shimmering pink heart wearing a pair of gold headphones, the key art embodied the concept of listening to your heart, which is the core of every character’s journey. The word “Juliet” was written in an Elizabethan-style script, which gave a nod to Shakespeare, but the overall aesthetic evoked premium, contemporary pop culture.

Taglines

The launch tagline was “There’s Life After Romeo,” which teased the show’s witty remix of a familiar tale.

Meanwhile, Max Martin was dubbed “the Shakespeare of Pop,” introducing him to audiences within the context of & Juliet. 

Social Media

Social media assets took audiences deeper into the story and music. We made sure to prioritize the creation of video content to capitalize on the introduction of Instagram Reels and growing popularity of TikTok.

The launch trailer borrowed the musical’s whimsical tone. The songs in the trailer – “Since U Been Gone,” “I Want It That Way,” “...Baby One More Time” – were chosen not because they were nostalgia triggers, but because they were crucial to the plot.

TikTok videos and Instagram reels were tailored to those platforms, including a video that juxtaposed the lyrics about loneliness in “...Baby One More Time” and “Stronger.” Those Britney Spears hits are crucial to Juliet’s arc, and they made for a perfect meme. 

Partnerships & Influencers

We custom built a team of creators and influencers dedicated to generating, curating and remixing fresh, real and authentic content consistently. An influencer event was also hosted in honor of the show with brand collaborations from Susan Alexander bags to MAC products leading to exposure across socials.

The Outcome

The audience embraced & Juliet as a jukebox musical with depth and heart. The production quickly earned over $1 million every week, and it remained at that level for the entire season. 

The social campaign had significant reach, with over 115,000 followers across all platforms and several assets garnering over 1 million views. Altogether, content had over 50 million organic views across platforms.

With the basics established, the launch campaign gave way to increasingly nuanced content, including celebrations of the cast, the Emmy Award-winning book writer, and of course, Max Martin and William Shakespeare. 