Human vs. Hamster
To build excitement ahead of the premiere of Human vs. Hamster, we developed and executed an integrated creator campaign designed to highlight the show’s playful, family-friendly charm. By leveraging a thoughtful mix of paid and organic creators, the campaign aimed to spark conversation, generate awareness around the series premiere, and encourage families to engage with the whimsical world of the show together.
Our approach centered on a two-pronged creator strategy. We first activated 100+ organic creators through a premium gifting experience designed to introduce them to the world of the show and inspire social sharing. In tandem, we partnered with six paid influencers to develop bespoke content for HBO Max that drove tune-in while generating positive social sentiment around the series.
Scope
Concept Creative
Campaign strategy
Influencer strategy: comms, negotiations, and contracting
Creative production + Execution
Reporting + Analytics
Client
Magnolia Network + HBO Max
Strategic Creator Partnerships
Understanding that the intricate engineering behind the obstacle courses and challenges is a cornerstone of the show, HBO Max partnered with two influential creators rooted in the engineering world (Emily the Engineer + The Hacksmiths) to drive awareness for the anticipated new series and expand the reach of the campaign to previously untapped communities. With loyal audiences and a talent for making even the most complex designs fun and relatable, these influencers lowered the barrier of entry and brought Human vs. Hamster to life in a way that appealed to families and engineering fans alike.
Tasked with creating custom builds inspired by the challenges featured in the show, each creator brought their own spin to the ask, resulting in authentic branded content that highlighted the creativity, fun, and innovation behind Human vs. Hamster.
The Gifting Experience
Continuing drive excitement and social conversation ahead of the premiere, we created a custom seeding kit designed to bring the playful world of the series into families’ homes. A targeted organic seeding strategy identified 100+ influential voices spanning key audience cohorts to help amplify buzz and drive excitement around the premiere. In addition, a curated group of influencers were secured to create bespoke content around the premium gifting experience, further extending the campaign’s reach and generating social conversation.
At the center of the kit was a bespoke DIY hamster maze paired with a customizable hamster figurine that recipients could assemble and race through the course together. The maze design drew inspiration directly from one of the show’s obstacle-course sets, translating the series’ playful competition into a hands-on activity families could build and enjoy together. The kit also included a selection of branded premium items that added to the fun and encouraged playful interaction, ultimately creating a memorable experience that sparked organic social sharing around the series.
The Response
Organically engaged creators flooded their stories with video content, sharing their excitement about receiving the kit and detailing their experience unboxing and building all of its components together with their loved ones.