TNT | Push to Add Drama (A Dramatic Surprise on a Quiet Square) | 2012
They Actually Made "Push the Button to Blow Up an Ordinary Day" Real / TNT "Push to Add Drama"
The brief was simple: make a launch campaign people would talk about. So TNT set up a red button in an ordinary town square with a sign that said "Push to Add Drama." Then they just waited.
The problem
In 2012, the cable channel TNT was launching in Belgium with the tagline "We know drama." Instead of telling people about TNT's shows, they decided to let people experience drama themselves.
The insight
Tell someone not to push a button, or tell them to push it—either way, they'll want to push it. TNT turned that irresistible curiosity straight into a brand experience. People sometimes say "this would cause a huge backlash in Japan," and that's fair, but I think the real point of this idea is about how far a brand is willing to go to actually deliver on its promise.
The idea
The moment someone pushed the button, a woman in her underwear sped past on a motorcycle, police chased robbers, and an ambulance clumsily crashed in—all a little skit built from scenes straight out of TNT's drama shows. At the end, a giant banner unfurled reading "Your Daily Dose of Drama." Rather than explaining drama in words, they made people feel it in their bodies.
What happened
Within one week of release, the video racked up 23 million views and became the second most-shared ad ever on Unruly Media's viral chart (the top spot belonged to Volkswagen's 2011 Super Bowl ad). It also won a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions.
Afterthought
I always thought "push a button and blow up an ordinary day" was the kind of thing that only happens in ads—but TNT actually did it. Rather than staying safe out of fear of backlash, they chose the courage to blow up the everyday.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold
