Since the launch of every Simpsons episode ever, FXX has aspired to be a go-to brand for adult animation. In 2021, they pulled off another power move, nabbing the rights to every Family Guy out from under Adult Swim, celebrating with an 8-day Avoid Your Family Family Guy Holiday Marathon from Dec 25 to Jan 1.
The question was how to redefine the show as unmistakably part of the FXX brand. Our answer? Create an infomercial campaign in FXX’s unique brand voice selling a must-have product to binge the marathon: The Ultimate Couch.
We started with the strategic insight that FXX’s linear TV pedigree wasn’t outdated or anachronistic but in fact represented a key advantage: a welcome simplicity in the age of overly complex streaming interfaces and on-demand decision fatigue.
We then brainstormed how to express this “set it and forget it” ethos in FXX’s uniquely offbeat, youthful brand voice, landing on the infomercial genre. And it was clear the item most in need of innovation in the bingeing age was the couch. Thus the Ultimate Couch was born.
In a matter of weeks, we created a satirical 22-spot campaign arc to run throughout the 8-day marathon, creating the features, writing the scripts, and designing the Ultimate Couch from scratch. Since our casting, production, and post turnaround was a mere 3 ½ weeks, we created all the couch’s surreal features practically, without VFX.
By Jan 2022, FXX’s ratings showed the marathon was a clear success, helping mint FXX as a new home for adult animation. And though the Ultimate Couch spots weren’t released on social, fans recorded and posted them there anyway.
FXX was so pleased with the work they asked us to adapt it into an evergreen brand campaign for use throughout the year during their adult animation blocks.
Promax North America Awards 2022
Art Direction & Design: Campaign - GOLD
Marketing Creativity: Syndicated Program Promo - GOLD
Art Direction & Design: Interstitials - GOLD
Golden Trailer Awards 2022
Most Innovative Advertising for a TV/Streaming Series