HUMANS is a bold & ambitious drama series, where the latest must-have gadget is a ‘Synth’- a highly-developed robotic servant eerily similar to humans.

We decided that the best way to evoke an emotional response to our marketing campaign was to prey on the fear of synths as a potential threat. How? By launching the ‘Persona Synthetics’ brand, featured in the drama, into the real world, promoting synths across multiple channels as genuine products available for purchase.

With partners, 4creative crafted the work across each and every touch-point and tapped into surfacing issues attracting heated public discussion regarding technology and its impact on humanity.

The on-air promo was void of any channel 4 branding, beautifully crafted to parody the premium electronic and technology brand ads you so often seen on television.

We set up a flagship store for Persona Synthetics opposite the iconic Apple Store on London’s Regent Street. We pushed the boundaries of technology by incorporating two 90” screens in the store front utilising the latest Microsoft Kinect technology, allowing people to interact with two digital synths using gesture controls.

To add realism to the story we were telling, we employed actors to work as Persona Synthetic employees, delivering synths to the store ready for its opening, and interacting with the audience to reinforce the illusion that they would soon be available to buy.

We created press ads for London press announcing the arrival of the store and further cementing the brand across another medium.

We advertised synths to buy on ebay and pushed to these throughout the site using display advertising as well as organically through search engines. This was the first time ebay have ever permitted a brand partner to set-up a fake auction.

We created Facebook and Twitter accounts for Persona Synthetics, posting information about the company and their future products daily. Users were able to interact with each other and the brand on these pages, often playing along with the fictional brand.

All of the above contained ‘#Humans’ and the Persona Synthetics website URL. Those who wanted to seek out more could find the website where it was revealed it was all a rouse for a new drama called ‘humans’, coming soon to Channel 4.

The site had more information regarding Persona Synthetics but also housed the clips promo for the show and transmission details, closing the loop for the audience that followed the story.