User Generated Action Scenes

The rise of short-form video has revolutionized binge-watching into binge-scrolling on platforms such as Youtube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and especially TikTok with interactive features. The challenge was how do we grab the attention of users with short attention spans and win them back to a long-form video streaming platform like Netflix?

The strategy to gain users back to Netflix is to hijack their platform and speak their language. TikTokers are already keen to co-create content with celebrities, so giving them a chance to create action scenes with one of Hollywood's biggest stars fits very well. Once they see how action-packed the film is from the short clips, they are eager to watch the whole film on Netflix.

To promote the Netflix original blockbuster, The Gray Man, we turned the best action scenes from the two-hour film into short-form videos and released them on TikTok to create an experience they can relate to. Since TikTokers are used to create user generated content with viral videos with celebrities and influencers, in this campaign, they are invited to create “User Generated Action Scenes”.

Create your own action scene with a Hollywood superstar, Ryan Gosling. Get punched, kicked, or fight back. If you can’t win, fight with new weapons, use broomsticks, chairs, umbrellas, rock paper scissors, or anything. Maybe stay out of the fight and just commentate or just simply ask for help. Once they experienced the action and become part of the film, they were eager to watch the whole film on Netflix. We also made a compilation video to invite users outside TikTok to watch the film on Netflix.

The campaign gained more than 400 million views on TikTok, 5 times the population of Thailand. For once, TikTokers leave TikTok to watch the film on Netflix regaining users back to the platform. The Gray Man immediately became the number 1 film on Netflix in Thailand.