INSIGHT: Amidst the 2017 Women’s Marches, many female activists felt today’s socio-political climate was eerily in line with the laws of Gilead.

Through social discovery, we found that the restrictive laws in The Handmaid’s Tale novel were being referenced throughout the Women’s Marches in January 2017. Pictures posted online revealed quotes from the book were being used on protester signs and even as hashtags on social media.

While major brands had previously jumped at the chance to leverage the groundswell of female empowerment, they were often seen as lacking understanding and empathy, and the negative consumer backlash affected their bottom line.

It was clear the show had a natural role in the women’s rights conversation, so Hulu proceeded with care. We decided to fuel the conversation about the laws of Gilead, but to stay authentic and empathetic, the discussion had to be led by women, not Hulu.

Women do not have a voice in society

An army of red cloaked handmaids quietly roamed SXSW, followed by an empowerment party and concert with an interactive tweet wall that lifted women’s voices. Custom editorial followed with actionable ways to fight for women’s rights.

Women are not allowed to read

Thought Leaders discussed infamous banned books and a Reddit AMA gave readers the chance to question the author about her once-banned novel.

An art installation composed of thousands of copies of the novel was created on New York City’s High Line where visitors were encouraged to take a free book, slowly revealing an empowering mural.

Women must wear the color of their caste

We partnered with Vogue to host an immersive costume exhibit followed by a discussion with the show’s costume designer. We engaged Vanity Fair to create custom editorial celebrating color as a form of individuality and political expression.

Cultural Conversation:

The Handmaid’s Tale achieved more than 1.8B earned social impressions during launch week and topped the chart for weekly demand impressions amongst new season 1 streaming originals.

Awareness of the series:

The Handmaid’s Tale reached the highest awareness levels ever seen for a new Hulu Original series. Awareness among non-subscribers reached 158% of their goal, surpassing the stretch goal by 14%. Awareness among existing subscribers also surpassed goals by 20%.

Viewership:

In its first week alone, The Handmaid’s Tale became the most-viewed premiere of any series – original or acquired – on Hulu. This was attributed to the extraordinary cultural buzz created during the lead up to launch.

Subscriptions:

Hulu’s ultimate business goal is to drive new subscribers to the service, and the day-of premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale saw the single highest daily subscriptions driven by original content in Hulu’s history.