Max had a clear mission: harness the power of the Max brand and its LGBTQ+ content in support of the local queer community in Florida, and amplify the results for as wide an audience as possible. This community is under siege by anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including one that bans drag performances in the presence of minors. We aimed to leave a meaningful impression with local and national audiences, as well as attendees of Art Basel (the annual international art fair showcasing the work of galleries, artists, collectors, and curators), that Max is unwavering in its commitment to empowering queer artistry and visibility – especially where it’s being threatened. We aimed to create engaging real-life experiences in which guests could be inspired by drag artists, and share their experiences via memorable social media content. We’d also drive impact through storytelling content across all platforms, IRL community connections, and earned/paid/owned media value.

We set out to create a never-before-seen drag experience in Miami, on the frontlines of the national battle for LGBTQ+ expression.

Our creative idea was born from an opportunity to harness the public’s appreciation for Max’s dynamic queer programming and bring its narratives and lessons to life. Because drag artistry is a cornerstone of not only queer entertainment at large but also queer entertainment on Max, we tapped beloved series “We’re Here” (HBO) and “Trixie Motel” (Discovery+) as our primary inspirations. From there, we focused on where Max could create the biggest moment and make the most tangible difference: Miami, Florida’s biggest weekend, Art Basel. The state’s ongoing battle for free queer expression was fertile ground for storytelling, and was in need of corporate brand support – as many organizations (including Target and Bud Light) have shied away from heralding LGBTQ+ campaigns after a tumultuous year of backlash.

We worked with the legal team at Equality Florida to determine the legality of activating in Miami given the state’s pending law, and decided to pop-up at two separate venues in two very different ways to reach both local LGBTQ+ audiences as well as Art Basel attendees.

One venue would be visible to the public on South Beach to maximize our brand impressions with passersby. Our second venue would be positioned within a private business in Wynwood (Miami’s arts district) where we could optimize the “safer,” flexible space for full scale performances, photography, and deepened storytelling in the form of shareable narrative content.

Finally, we’d cast two influential creators or political activists to receive makeovers and share how their personal stories intersected with drag and the anti-LGBTQ laws that threatened it. We’d tap a media partner to host and distribute this full-scale story for a wide online audience.

“The Art of Drag" Pop-Up Truck Tour featured drag transformations, performances, and numerous giveaways from our glass-walled mobile drag "dressing room," stationed at two of Miami's most iconic drag venues: Palace South Beach and R House Wynwood.

We partnered with 15+ Miami-based drag artists who played essential roles – from hosting our experience, to performing “mini-makeovers” for brunch guests, to executing two full drag transformations in full view of the crowd. (These featured custom costumes and wigs inspired by Max shows, and the process was filmed for a featurette for Out.com.) Attendees received Max-inspired clack-fans, makeup palettes from Trixie Cosmetics, and engaged with our premium video booth, which provided high-quality clips that were instantly shareable on social media.

Finally, we partnered with Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ non-profit fighting anti-queer legislation, to ensure our activation’s purpose and execution was fully attuned to the needs and sensitivities of LGBTQ+ Floridians.

Our many strategic partnerships with venues, talent, product vendors and nonprofits helped us maximize our activation’s visibility. HBO and Max Original characters and stories lived in the DNA of every aspect of the experience and resultant coverage, creating pathways back to the Max platform as we told an urgent, original story all our own.

Results:

875 Pieces of Content Created and Shared on Social (Owned + Earned)

18 Custom Partnerships

758 Brunch Attendees over 2 Days

584.M Impressions

$2.56M Earned Media Value