(Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
With a high concept and starring a recognizable cast, Alloy Entertainment’s branded web series Dating Rules From My Future Self launched in January to great fanfare.
Revolving around twenty-something Lucy (Shiri Appleby) who receives texts from herself 10 years in the future that help her navigate her current love life, the effortlessly charming and addictive nine episodes, each five-to-nine minute long, made up the first season and attracted over 500k to 700k viewers each at press time.
Using Facebook and Twitter, Dating Rules’ digital marketing campaign focused on the relatable trials and tribulations of dating by giving fans advice much like Lucy’s future self.
Dating Rule of The Day (Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
The social networks posted a “Dating Rule of the Day” with an accompanying sharable captioned photo; these were humorous yet truthful and applicable. Fans could also email “#futurelucy” for relationship advice.
Dear "#futurelucy" (Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
Moreover, Dating Rules' Facebook shared appropriate articles such as “25 First-Date Dos and Don’ts” and “10 Things You Should Never Say To A Guy” from third-party websites. Appleby and cast member Alison Becker also participated in a live Ustream chat and answered questions about love and what it was like working on the show.
Finally, some of the advocates Dating Rules sought were entertainment websites Entertainment Weekly (an exclusive trailer), TheTVAddict, and Collider (Appleby gave interviews), celebrity gossip tabloids The Celebrity Stone and Cupid’s Pulse, and love and relationship advice hub YourTango (Appleby gave an interview and wrote an article about her personal breaking up experience).
Appleby's article on YourTango
Heading into Season 2, Dating Rules' digital marketing campaign can delve even deeper into emotionally connecting with its millennial audience by continuing to explore the commonality of breaking up using other cost-effective social media tools such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Spotify.
Below are five recommendations that will lead 'Dating' audiences to engagement:
1. Lucy's Mix: Music to heal a broken heart
Dating Rules' social networks shared a clip when Lucy’s two besties Amanda (Mircea Monroe) and Kelcy (Becker) select and turn up the breakup song “B4 I Get 2 One” by Miss Amani for her.
The post also asked fans to name their “go-to breakup survival song,” which generated more responses than usual on Facebook and YouTube. The feedback showed how much music affects people; everyone has a song that has helped them through a rough patch.
Amanda and Kelcy find a song for Lucy in this Dating Rules clip
Taking that engagement one step further, fans can be invited to help Amanda and Kelcy make a mix CD/playlist to help Lucy soldier on by tweeting or sharing their favorite empowering breakup song on the Facebook wall and/or Twitter using hashtag #LucysMix.
Tweet your favorite breakup song to #futurelucy (Screencap from Dating Rules Twitter)
"Amanda" and "Kelcy" will compile their favorite song recommendations from fans (“Part of Me” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” anyone?) and create a user-friendly Spotify or iTunes playlist that allows people to listen directly or download Lucy's Mix legally.
Spotify playlist of breakup songs
For songs featured in the series, rather than simply listing the information and artists’ website on Facebook, add the tracks onto the Spotify or iTunes playlist. Since many fan responses were questions about the song's title, it would benefit both the listener and artist/label if the songs were provided in front of them and all they had to do is click to buy or listen to them legally.
2. Goodbye Heartbreak
A large part of the show’s heart is how Lucy, Amanda, and Kelcy are friends who have each other’s back and will stick together even at the expense of a guy.
When Lucy felt down and insecure after her breakup, her friends threw her a party. For anyone who has ever been dumped, what are ways to say “goodbye heartbreak”?
Kelcy, Lucy, Amanda (Photo source: Popstar!)
Creating a Pinterest board filled with images of things to do and places to go when getting over a break-up will serve as an inspiration to others on how to forget their exes and celebrate singlehood.
Have a favorite comfort movie or TV show? Nightclub, coffee shop, or beach to visit? Or vintage store to go on a shopping spree at?
Fans are asked to pin it and include a hashtag such as #datingrules or #goodbyeheartbreak. After sending the link to Dating Rules, valid images and videos can be repinned into an all-inclusive official Dating Rules "Goodbye Heartbreak" board. Within the right context, this board is also a good place to pin products from the brands that sponsor the show.
A mock #goodbyeheartbreak Pinterest board
Roughly 90% of Pinterest’s 12 million monthly users are female, and 33% are Dating Rules’ core 18-34 audience.
According to iModerate, one of the three types of consumers who participates in social TV engagement is “the girlfriend,” a female 25-44 “who relates deeply to her favorite shows and looks forward to the ‘girls’ night out’ aspect” of the social engagement.
The Pinterest board will appeal to fans like her and become an online community of “girlfriends” who can help each other out by pinning inspiring things-to-do pictures so no one has to feel like they’re going through a breakup alone.
Kraft's Pinterest contest made use of a common hashtag (Photo source: Pinterest)
Instagram can also be implemented: when one is out at a place that could be fun to go, let loose with their friends, and forget about their ex, snap and share a picture to let others know about it too.
3. Back to the Future Date Places:
Spot any cute restaurants like Spatula? (Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
Future Lucy may be sending herself rules on dating, but in the meantime, present-day Lucy can give her future self some good date spots to go to for when she finds someone worth taking with.
In the middle of the series, Lucy is not ready to date yet but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about it wherever she goes. Whenever someone is out by themselves or with friends, they might spot a cute hole-in-the-wall restaurant or a beautifully lit street at night that might be “a great date place.”
Fans can be asked to take photos with their smartphones using Instagram and share it on Twitter with the #futurelucy hashtag.
Similar to an Instagram contest singer-songwriter Jason Mraz conducted asking fans to visualize his new single, which received almost 10,000 entries, Dating Rules can retweet them, ask for feedback, and award the most creative date place #futurelucy chooses with a prize.
Selena Gomez and Randy Jackson tweeted their entries for Jason Mraz's Instagram contest (Photo source: Mashable)
A common concern many people who start dating have is wondering what to do and where to go; combining the ingredients of something or somewhere mutual, different, and fun will hopefully help make it a successful date.
Compiling the Instagram entries in a Pinterest board and Facebook album will not only be convenient to look through, but serve as a visual guide of great date places inspiration.
4. Pardon the Pajega – a fashion flashback:
An amusing running joke in the series is Amanda booking an infomercial gig for Pajega jeans, a disturbing hybrid of pajamas and jeggings.
Some of Dating Rules' most memorable fashion choices (Screencap from Dating Rules episodes)
Continuing with the fantasy element of one's future self texting warnings, fans are asked to imagine they are fashion consultants of the future. Photos of celebrities’ most egregious fashion faux-pas are posted (since it would be too harsh to critique the cast or everyday people), and fans must send them tips on how to save it and make it runway-worthy before they wear it out.
Ditch the Uggs? Replace the boyfriend jeans with a slim fit? Similar to The Clique’s Hawt or Nawt engagement, it will get the core female demographic talking.
Fergie's green coat went under fire in The Clique's Hawt or Nawt (Screencap from The Clique's blog)
Though the series doesn’t deal directly with fashion, this is a fun and easy engagement strategy. The only concern is steering the tone from vicious and nasty to lighthearted and witty.
5. Familiar Faces:
Guest star Fran Kranz plays a character that is a far cry from his Dollhouse's nerdy Topher Brink
(Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
(Photo source: Dating Rules Facebook)
Dating Rules is armed with an incredibly likeable cast, and each actor or actress has portrayed beloved characters in Gen-Y favorite series. Below are notable examples:
It may be time-consuming, but it may be worth it to reach out to the fan sites, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, etc. of these shows and actors/actresses, and provide them with an exclusive Dating Rules clip or information.
Though many of the series they were in have been canceled, some have developed a niche and cult following that still has an active community; these are the most loyal and rabid fans and it doesn't hurt to try embracing them.
Roswell Twitter fan account that is active (Screencap from Roswell_Fans' Twitter)
If I was invested in a series and created a show fansite, I would probably be a fan of the actor/actress in it and wouldn’t mind giving an easy to consume web series a try. Even if Dating Rules is a completely different genre than the show they're supporting, it's sharp and undemanding; episodes are short and available to watch when and where one wants after they’re released.
Chances are if these fans like Dating Rules, they’ll be loud evangelists who will share it with like-minded fans.
Appleby has done interviews in support of Dating Rules; it's surprising Dating Rules' social network accounts do not share that content. It would provide existing fans insight into her craft and character, and draw them closer to the show.
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