Netflix dials in a great series launch

Sometimes you just see a campaign that hits all the right notes in terms of intention, endeavour and sheer heart warming vibes, says Sarah Firth, strategy and creative director, Speed Communications.

This latest one from Netflix to launch its new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery, does everything right.

The streaming service giant has partnered with seven independent bookshops around the UK from Dromore in Northern Ireland to Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol and so on offering The Seven Dials Mystery-themed goody bags to give to their customers.

One mystery goody bag in each store contains tickets to the London premiere of the series starring Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman.

What…you say, this is just a goody bag giveaway, why is it so special? Well, for a number of reasons.

Netflix is using its sheer might and profile to shine a light on the important work that independent booksellers do, often under threat from online retailers. 

It selected only female owned/run bookshops, which is a lovely literary tribute to Agatha Christie as one of our best loved and prolific authors.

With such a compelling prize and the hint of mystery that Agatha herself would have been amused by, it stays true to the theme of the book.

The launch was no doubt designed to encourage people to read the book before watching the series, which is an interesting role for the brand to play – encouraging reading when arguably, one of the biggest distractions away from books, after social media, is the constant output of streaming channels like Netflix.

I’m sure there is data somewhere that maybe proves that when a book is adapted for TV/film, sales of that book increase. With this campaign Netflix is reminding those keen to read the original material to buy it from their local bookseller. Reading and watching TV can co-exist, after all.

Above all, it’s brilliant and much needed profile for those local booksellers who would struggle to reach such levels of awareness, it’s encouraging people to read again and for Netflix, it gives the brand a human touchpoint in an unexpected space.

A genius campaign designed to educate and entertain, much like an Agatha Christie novel.