By transforming a single billboard in Times Square into an interactive real-life shopping tool, Netflix's Credit Card Billboard directly engaged consumers and prompted them to take an immediate action, creating a tangible connection between the movie and its potential audience. By using irony, the activation also encouraged people to think critically about their relationship with consumerism and shopping, making it an effective example of how direct marketing can do more than just convert, but also to impact people's behaviors.

White Noise, Noah Baumbach's new film that satirizes American consumerism through characters who shop to forget about the inevitability of death, was released in selected theaters during the same week as Black Friday, the most consumerist day of the year. Even more interestingly, Netflix had a billboard space in Times Square, the beast of the belly of shopaholism. Our challenge was tough, but pretty interesting: to compete with hundreds of offers and use the feeling around this date to catch people's attention to our movie while they were frantically searching for the best deals.

To launch White Noise, Noah Baumbach's new movie that skewers American consumerism, we helped people in New York forget about the impending doom by... shopping! During Black Friday, the most consumerist date of the year, Netflix turned a single billboard in Times Square into dozens of credit cards with real money. During 12 hours, different cards appeared with a $500 limit each, allowing the fastest passersby to grab the numbers, unlock it, and use the entire balance to buy whatever they wanted. Netflix didn't just fulfill people's shopping needs during Black Friday. It also helped them understand if money really buys happiness.

With the use of Global Web Index and Social Listening we were able to identify a recurring feeling of hopelessness in our target audience. And with the way the world is, it was no surprise. We also found that, being the negative-averse being that we humans are, the hard human truth is that America is a nation of emotional shoppers who turn to shopping to numb themselves. Therefore, we’re all too easily persuaded to turn a blind eye for the sake of the comfort that comes in avoiding the hard truths. So for our strategy, we tapped in on that hard truth to ironically point it out to them during the busiest retail day of the year.

We created 48 animations displaying 48 unique credit cards, each with one of three different designs and unique numbers. Then, on Black Friday from 9 AM to 9 PM, every 15 minutes, we replaced the video on Netflix's 3D Billboard in Times Square with a new animation featuring an unreleased card and a QR code, which led people to a website where they had to submit both the card info and their personal data to unlock it. The first person to successfully unlock the card could use the numbers on any online shop they desired. A dynamic and engaging execution made to generate excitement and interest among passersby in Times Square.

Our activation achieved a 100% engagement rate with all credit cards redeemed within just 12 hours. However, what was even more significant was the impact on Netflix's business results. The Credit Card Billboard helped White Noise, the movie we were promoting, to reach Netflix's Top 10 for an impressive 5 consecutive weeks, and ultimately became the 3rd most popular debut on the platform. This outstanding achievement demonstrated the effectiveness of our marketing strategy and the power of a well-executed activation to deliver real business results for our client.

Our work was inspired by a deep cultural insight into the phenomenon of Black Friday in the United States. This event has become a major symbol of consumerism, however we also recognized that this cultural moment represented an opportunity to engage with audiences in a meaningful way, by challenging the notion that was moving people during the entire day: the notion that money can buy happiness.

Although Black Friday occurs in many countries, it has become a significant cultural event and a symbol of consumerism in the United States with many people flocking to stores and online retailers to take advantage of the discounts. In addition, Times Square is widely recognized as one of the most iconic and commercialized locations in the world, synonymous with American consumerism due to its numerous stores, billboards, and advertisements. Perfect timing, perfect place.