The Bridge marketing and audience: Flashcards
(13 cards)
what did BBC 4 do in the run up to the release?
broadcast trailers and promotional spots leading up to the broadcasting of the series
what did magazines such as the Radio times do?
Featured the Bridge in their listings and articles, highlighting it as a standout nordic noir series. The articles often featured female actresses and discussions on feminism, engaging audiences who wanted to see feminist perspectives on the representations of women and more progressive representations of women
did the series have a website, if so what did it feature?
The series maintained an official website that provided episode guides, character descriptions and behind-the-scenes footage to engage viewers
what social media was used in the marketing of the bridge?
Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were used to share teasers, trailers and interact with fans, fostering a community around the show- Clay Shirky end of audience theory and Henry Jenkins fandom theory. The marketing team also used Hashtags on social media such as #TheBridge to create trends and foster audience engagement and allow audiences to enter discussions about the series
what did ‘the independent’ do as part of marketing the programme?
The independent provided exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and articles discussing the show, its impact and production
what national programmes in Britain marketed the programme?
segments on national programmes such as ‘this morning’ in the UK targeted a national audience but also an older demographic who were enticed into traditional media forms- Even Saga’s neurodivergency is discussed
what was Nordicana?
2,500 fans of the Scandinavian crime genre attended Nordicana, a two day convention dedicated to the culture of Nordic noir. Stalls were set up selling merchandise alongside Swedish alcohol and food whilst the final day of the convention featured a screening of the final two episodes of the drama, concluding its second series on BBC4 and promoting the third upcoming series. This promoted fans of the series to learn more about the show and Scandinavian culture, and targeted niche, specialised audiences.
How was the BBC logo used in accordance with the marketing materials?
Lots of the marketing utilised the BBC logo for marketing for the UK audience, which almost adds a mark of quality and respectability and reflects the fact that many British audiences see the BBC as a ‘pillar of British life and culture’ and is a reliable and trustworthy source.
what did the marketing materials focus on in accordance with the genre?
The marketing materials focused on making the genre of Nordic noir clear to audiences- the trailer and some of the other marketing material emphasized the Bridge itself and the Scandinavian location itself which made the show appear ‘unique’, ‘exotic’ and ‘unknown’.- some audiences may have been engaged by this initial impression.
how does the show target fans of crime genre?
the series combined enigmatic narratives with typical crime drama codes, appealing to both genre enthusiasts and new viewers
how could the programme target more mainstream audiences in comparison to specialised audiences?
The fact the programme made the switch from BBC 4 to BBC 2 after series 3, which offers more mainstream content and high quality, diverse and intellectually stimulating programming, and the fact the show was aired at a prime time slot at 9pm symbolises the increasing popularity of the Bridge. This allows us to question how niche and alternative the audience actually is for the programme
what is a statistic that showscases the widespread popularity of the programme?
season 3 saw record breaking ratings in the nordic region, attracting 1.4 million viewers in scandinavian countries, and exceeding the ratings of previous seasons
How might the programme attract an inherited audience?
The programme may attract an inherited audience, pre-sold / existing fans of the nordic noir genre and previous programmes shown on BBC 4 such as the killing and the Wallander
