KENNEDY  CENTER  HONORS  

Challenge
Kennedy Center Honors, the country’s most prestigious award for the performing arts, was having a hard time connecting to new audiences. They approached us to build and execute on a new content marketing and engagement strategy, utilizing their social media platforms - both in advance of the show, and the broadcast on CBS/Paramount Plus.


Insight
Taking a turn from last year’s strategy, we approached 2024 with an understanding that In this day an age, depending or institutional content to go viral is a fool’s errand, so we focused on producing world-class content for our honorees and their cast (which this year included Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chloe Sevigny, Leon Bridges, Maggie Rogers, Raye, Dave Chappelle, Debbie Allen, Grace VanDerWaal, Brandi Carlile, Andy Garcia, Martin Scorcese and more)


Solution
Kennedy Center Honors is not an awards show in a traditional sense - there’s no tensions or “who will win” competitive edge - it is a massive lovefest - the cast truly admires who they’re honoring, often has a deep emotional connection to them and the whole experience is that of the greatest reunion of all.

We wanted to capture that infectious energy and translate it into content.

So, we set up a series of elevated-but-warm content studios: backstage, at the after-party and beyond and set-up a series of special correspondents - from Bob Weir’s daughter Chloe to social ambassadors Matt Friend and Kofi B.


Results
55 original pieces of content produced and integrated into

100+ original pieces of content produced for talent to share

100% talent engagement - including reels that reached millions of views of cast accounts.

467% content engagement increase on Instagram and TikTok in advance of the show.

85% new audience engagement (all organic, this had no media budget for amplification)

20% audience growth in terms of new followers on Kennedy Center Instagram.

13% audience growth in terms of new followers on Kennedy Center TikTok

Highest viewed Kennedy Center content, not just of the year, but ever

Credits
Creative direction & production: Exactly Agency
Photo credits: Sarah Coulter, Michele Crowe, El Man Studio
Video Credits: Tim Parsons & Will Sarmiento