Showtime, a major player in the premium cable and streaming landscape (now Paramount+ with Showtime), sought to boost engagement for its series *The Affair* during its fourth season. Facing the industry-wide challenges of cord-cutting and the rise of streaming services, Showtime aimed to leverage social media to connect with loyal viewers and attract new audiences. This project focused on creating digital banners for Instagram to promote an "Instagram Takeover" event featuring actress Julia Goldani Telles (@juliagtelles), who played Whitney Solloway. The goal was to drive viewership to new episodes airing on Sundays, the same day as the takeover. This strategy aimed to capitalize on the existing fan base's fondness for the character and actress, drawing them into a real-time interactive experience.
The challenge was to create visually appealing and informative banners that effectively communicated the takeover event details while adhering to Showtime's brand guidelines and the established aesthetic of *The Affair*'s Season 4 key art. The banners needed to be optimized for different Instagram formats (feed and stories) and capture attention within a crowded social media environment. Given the declining viewership after the premiere episode, re-engaging the audience and generating excitement for new episodes was crucial. The project also required balancing the social media team's goals for increased engagement with the marketing and key art team's focus on brand consistency.
Inspired by the show's key art, which prominently featured oceanic blues/greens and yellow, and drawing on my decade of experience in event promotion design, I created two sets of banners. The first, using a bright, sunny image of the actress and a predominantly yellow color scheme, conveyed a friendly, inviting tone for the initial announcement 48 hours before the takeover. The second set, released on the day of the takeover, used a darker, more dramatic image of the actress combined with deeper ocean tones to evoke intrigue and reflect the show's dramatic themes. This approach aimed to capture attention and generate excitement leading up to the event. The banners included clear, concise text optimized for smartphone viewing, immediately conveying the who, what, when, and where of the takeover. Close collaboration with the creative director ensured alignment with Showtime's overall branding and campaign goals. This collaborative process, combined with my understanding of the show's themes, target audience, and social media best practices, informed the final design. The slight blur effect on the title treatment, mimicking the Season 4 key art, further reinforced brand consistency.
The banners successfully promoted the Instagram Takeover, as evidenced by increased user comments expressing excitement before the event and active participation during the takeover itself. The project demonstrated my ability to effectively merge social media engagement strategies with established brand guidelines, resulting in visually appealing and informative assets. This project was particularly significant for me as it was one of my first assignments at Showtime, demonstrating the trust placed in my ability to deliver impactful designs for a high-profile campaign. The positive audience response and successful execution of the takeover validated the design choices and strategic approach.
Design Disciplines: Marketing Design/Graphic Design, Digital Design, Branding (supporting role), Visual Communication
Design Skills: Visual Storytelling, Brand Consistency, Client Collaboration, Target Audience Understanding, Social Media Best Practices, Problem-Solving
