James Deeley

A multi-award winning digital transmedia experience to support the first series of Channel 4’s hard edged conspiracy drama Utopia, broadcast in 2013.

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Channel 4 and Kudo’s Productions were looking for a different kind of digital experience to support and promote their new drama, Utopia.

 

They wanted something imaginative, immersive and daring that would engage, enrage and explore themes to keep people coming back.

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The big idea

Intended to unsettle and challenge our audience, 'The Utopia Inquiry' was created to explore themes raised in the six-part drama, aiming to build a fan base for the show before transmission, then grow that audience throughout the series.

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The question of what difficult decisions need to be asked for for the planet to survive, and the actions of The Network, a brutal organisation that used surveillance, abused power and killed for control, to save it shaped our thinking. Ultimately we asked our audience what should be done, if anything, about the future population growth of the planet?

 

And what if The Network were right?

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The solution 

Over the course of the series our audience were presented a series of thought provoking scenarios and activations designed to reflect the revealing storyline. When combined each of these activations formed a continuous and threaded experience, leading to a climatic event for the final episode, and one where the audience needed to make their own decision.

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So, are you ready to take control of your life and our future?

Or are you happy for others to make those difficult decisions for you?

Recognition

• Winner of 'The Grand Prix' prize at the 2013 DADI Awards, and the 'Interactive, Entertainment, Game or Campaign' of the year.

• Winner of best in Entertainment at the BIMA 2013 awards.

• Silver in the 'Integrated Experience' category at the 2013 Lovie Awards.

• BAFTA nominated for digital creativity in Television Craft.

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The campaign site is no longer live.

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