360-Degree Launch Campaign: Death Row Stories on HLN

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360-Degree Season Launch Campaign for "Death Row Stories" on HLN

To introduce the third season of “Death Row Stories” on HLN, CNN Creative Marketing called on longtime collaborative partner, 2C Creative (“2C”), for a gritty, 360-degree launch campaign. 2C’s goal was to generate a strong interest among HLN viewers already tuned in for “Forensic Files,” while giving “Death Row Stories” a distinct look and tone that both establishes the series on its new network and captures its unique place in the crime documentary genre.

Narrated by Academy® Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon and featuring stories told by current and former death row inmates, each episode of “Death Row Stories” seeks to unravel the truth behind a different capital murder case and poses tough questions about the U.S. capital punishment system. Season 3 premieres on Sunday, March 18.

While campaigns for the show’s two previous seasons (on CNN) used a clean approach with the well shot, documentary-style footage, 2C was asked to elevate the effort through powerful storytelling and a decisive look that incorporates strong design into on-air launch creative, key art, digital banners and episodic promos.

2C crafted a signature audio and visual device to carry through all on-air creative. The custom audio bed features an aggressive, ever-increasing rhythm that paces the words and edit while powerful bites deliver the magnitude of what’s at stake: right or wrong; freedom or incarceration; exoneration or execution…The time for justice is running out.

The dark, gritty treatment to each frame echoes the intensity of the life-and-death struggle to prove innocence, while simultaneously elevating archival footage and evidence to stand side-by-side with current video from the cases. A technique of diminishing light was applied to each moment, with shadows encroaching on every image but never reaching total blackness. When applied to the rhythmic edit, the relentless, repeating pressure of darkness has a subtle effect of increasing tension.

The impact of the titles and gritty treatment carries into the key art and digital banners with the bold statement, “Sentenced to Death. Fighting for Life,” a sentiment that balances the gravity of what’s at stake.

In all, the project will yield some 55 different deliverables, including launch spots, teases, episodics, key art, digital banners and Original Series animation.

Previous CNN Creative Marketing collaborations with 2C include launch campaigns for “Inside with Chris Cuomo,” “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and “Morgan Spurlock: Inside Man.”