prabhuHome of Corrie, Downton Abbey and The X Factor, ITV has launched its ‘Great Characters Make Great Drama’ campaign to attract more viewers.
The UK terrestrial TV channel has partnered with Uncommon Creative Studio to deliver a year-long, £10 million campaign aimed at getting us all to take another look at the channel and it’s content.
Kicking off the campaign is a series of TV spots which centre around already popular ITV dramas, which the channel said celebrates ‘the impact it has on our lives beyond the screen’.
Endeavour’s ‘Fred’ and ‘Vera’ talk directly to viewers in ad spots
The campaign includes two spots which star acclaimed stage and screen actor Roger Allam in character as Detective Inspector Fred Thursday from ITV crime drama Endeavour, and BAFTA and Golden Globe award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn in character as the unorthodox but brilliant DCI Vera Stanhope.
Both films are directed by Oscar-winning director James Marsh, whose credits include The Theory of Everything, Man on Wire and the dramatic hit The Night Of.
“We have had a terrific start to the year, including slot winning entertainment and really strong audiences for our dramas, bringing millions of people together”, said Rufus Radcliffe, ITV’s Chief Marketing Officer.
“To continue to attract both our loyal audiences who helped us post record share figures in 2018, and also attract and encourage light ITV viewers to come to ITV more often, we want to make sure our marketing and branding reflects the creativity and energy at the heart of our business, and demonstrates the emotional power of our content,” he added.
The first two ad spots focus on the channel’s dramas, but the treatments will be extended to other genres later, Radcliffe said.
ITV said it will go beyond the confines of its own advertising breaks to reach more potential viewers. The two drama film spots will be aired across other TV channels including Sky and Channel 4, it said.
