Things are not what they seem in season two of hit Netflix series, Wednesday, as star Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday Addams character encounters new foes and woes in the gothic halls of Nevermore Academy. Gigil captured the series’ dark mystery and intrigue, transforming one of the main character’s frightful experiences, crying black tears, into an audacious and attention-grabbing installation in one of Manila’s busiest commercial hubs.
In the series, black tears signify Wednesday’s severe exhaustion due to the excessive and intense use of her psychic powers. The condition, experienced too by the character’s Aunt Ophelia, is also a warning that her powers are becoming too much for her to handle, signalling a dangerous path ahead for her and her family.
To drive engagement for season two of the series, GIGIL worked with the Venice Grand Canal Mall, a popular Italian experience featuring a man-made 200-metre long, 15-metre wide replica of the city’s Grand Canal, complete with gondola rides, Italian-inspired architecture, and replicas of iconic Venetian landmarks. A large stage in one end of the canal featured a billboard-size image of Wednesday’s face, streaked with her signature black tears. During peak shopping time on the first day of the activation, an environmentally friendly and filtered black dye was released from beneath the stage platform, slowly seeping its way into the waterway and gradually turning the entire canal black.
At the end of the two-day experience, the dye was filtered from the water, restoring the canal to its pristine condition.
The canal’s eerie transformation captivated the thousands of shoppers as they strolled the edges of the waterway and peered down from the mall’s numerous walkways, bridges and mall balconies over the two days. The experience quickly went viral, generating more than 145,000 engagements.
Wednesday season two went on to be the #1 show on Netflix for three weeks.
“We safely spread the character’s black tears through one of Manila’s most romantic streams, literally spreading her woe,” stated Brandon Talip, copywriter at GIGIL. It was a striking way to mark Wednesday’s return, and drive curiosity and engagement from the target audience both at the mall and virally though social conversations.”
Credits:
Client: Netflix
Country Marketing Manager: Stef Pajarito
Marketing Production Manager: Nina Mendoza
Agency: GIGIL
Chief Creative Officers: Badong Abesamis & Herbert Hernandez
Managing Partner: Jake Yrastorza
Creative Director: Leslie Cua
Associate Creative Director: Alvin Adriano
Head of Art: Ronchris Cosme
Art Directors: Niña Rivera & Haui Sacay
Copywriter: Brandon James Talip
Group Account Director: Micco Balana
Account Director: Abi Reyes
Account Managers: Robert Pabiling & Jordan Chua
Freelance Art Director: Amper Melo
Art Intern: Ashley Creencia
Activation Producer: Ma. Pamela G. Ungco
Production Supervisor: Jamie Franz C. Ramos
Set-up Supervisor: Joemar D. Tan
Production Assistant: Ernesto L. Co Jr.
Producers: Sasa Abella, Denise Blanco Elizon
Director & Editor: Sherard Yu
Audio Engineer: Vener Ariston
Project Manager: Jayann Carreon Bautista
Photographer: Jeth Wayne Esplana
Production Assistants: Sebastian Guerzon, Michael Culaste, Joseph Magnaye, Jayson Dumpa
