Situation: From ‘Emily in Paris’ to ‘Euphoria’, global female tentpoles have dominated our screens and social feeds in recent years, making it difficult for local content to make the cut on Aussie women’s watchlists. Enter Prime Video's local series, ‘Class of 07’, which faced the daunting task of swiftly earning a place in the clique.

Brief: Like the school newbie, the show needed to build popularity fast… a difficult task given zero IP awareness, the absence of A-list talent, and no ability to rely on global social chatter.

Objectives: We needed to:

1. Propel ‘Class of ’07’ onto the top 10 watchlist.

2. Drive acquisition of new subscribers to Prime Video.

3. Generate WOM (1:1 earned-to-paid ratio).

A series oozing in nostalgia, ‘Class of 07’ is anchored around a 10-year reunion that occurs during the apocalypse. While in 2023 we may have had our fair share of apocalypse, who couldn’t use a bit of nostalgia? As the world becomes more divided and dangerous, the nostalgic desire to immerse yourself in positive shared memories peaks.

In an era marked by digital fatigue and fleeting trends, younger generations are seeking solace and simplicity in the nostalgic embrace of analog media. From vinyl records to print magazines, these tangible pieces of the past offer a comforting refuge from the fragmented, hyper-niche landscapes of today's online world. If we wanted to tap into this generation's enduring nostalgia and bring them back to '07, we'd need to ditch the digital and satiate their appetite for the media of yesteryear.

Insight: Media is the ultimate gateway to nostalgia. 

Key message: Take me back to ‘07, Girlfriend.  

Target audience: Millennial & Gen Z women, identified as ‘nostalgists’, who would resonate with the high school reunion drama and 00s throwback (Millennials) and ‘schoolies,’ who would who’d be drawn to the series intricate dynamics of female friendships and high school drama (Gen Z).  

Creation & distribution of assets: Designed cover-to-cover as though it was released in 2007 (but with content relevant for our 2023 audience!), we painstakingly curated content full of nostalgic throwbacks from teenage Taylor Swift adorning the cover, ’07 inspired quizzes, celebrity crushes and a ‘sealed section’ filled with not-safe-for-work product reviews. ‘Class of 07’ was promoted throughout the entire magazine via double-page spreads, strip ads, expertly woven reviews, interviews, teasers, interactive easter eggs and more. 

Collaborating with the original publisher, we gave Aussie women the edition they never got. Editors brought back, photographers re-enlisted and iconic features returned to ensure this wasn't just a stunt but a culturally sought after release.

Designed cover-to-cover as though released in 2007, we painstakingly curated content full of nostalgic throwbacks, with ‘Class of 07’ woven throughout. We didn’t stop there – our ‘Girlfriend’ time-capsule became the springboard for mass-sharing media, blending modern technology with nostalgic icons, including:

11,400 copies distributed to influential fans, alongside creator packs filled with nostalgic merch, sparking mass memory sharing. Radio and editorial content invited Aussies and celebrities to share high-school memories, doubling as a distribution hub and competition driver for premiere tickets.

Personalized Snapchat quizzes profiled your high-school persona, scannable Spotify playlists tailored music to people’s graduating year, whilst Girlfriend photobooths in shopping precincts allowed fans to feature on the magazine cover and billboards.

PROPELLED THE SERIES TO #1: Not just the best performing local program, but the most streamed program post-launch in AU.

NEW SUBSCRIBER ACQUISITION: Series contributed 21% of all new SVOD subscriptions in Q1-23 (+4ppts vs Q1-22).

TRANSPORTED +8M WOMEN TO 2007: +1,076 organic editorial pieces reaching 1in5 Australians (smashing our 1:1 earned-to-paid objective). Demand for the Girlfriend issue was palpable, with 250+ cold calls to the publisher requesting copies. 7,000+ downloads of the digital magazine, surpassing typical magazine downloads by +250%. Masses engaged: 2x average save rate on the Snapchat lens, +57% average rate for Spotify playlist creation and 1,388 Girlfriend photobooth pictures taken (+shared to thousands more!).