Fans were encouraged to follow @TheBatman on social for information on how to collect the goods.Photo: Courtesy of MATTE Projects
To promote the series, the streaming service took a page out of the villain's playbook by taking over New York City (minus the violence) with an extensive marketing campaign that included local businesses, institutions, and even street fairs.
“With the show’s production taking place in New York City, it was a no-brainer that our marketing efforts had direct tie-ins to the city itself,” said Alex Diamond, vice president of originals marketing at Max and HBO, about the takeover, which ran Sept. 9-22.
“From taking over Gotham-named businesses to partnering with iconic NYC cultural events, brands, restaurants, influencers, and more, our campaign is designed to pay homage to the fabric of the city. As The Penguin, aka Oz Cobb, is seeking to take over Gotham, it only made sense for our marketing campaign to do the same,” he said.
The two-week takeover, in collaboration with MATTE Projects, kicked off on Sept. 9 with the rollout of “Gotham Goods” trucks that were stocked with free Penguin-themed gear for fans. The series also popped up at The Feast of San Gennaro, offering more merch along with Gotham-inspired street food. The Penguin’s signature purple Maserati was also on display.
And in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Max and Pa’lante took over the New York Latino Film Festival Block Party. Attendees were able to enjoy themed cocktails, specialty menu items, and other unique experiences, along with a screening of the first episode, live music performances, and limited-edition merch.
But that's not all...
In collaboration with MAP360 Collective, the series transformed the storefronts of Gotham Burger Social Club, Gotham West Market, Gotham City Barbershop, and Gotham Wine & Liquors. In addition to featuring “Gotham” in their names, the establishments were selected based on location, brand, social and other digital media components, and storefront options, explained Pete Rosenblum, president of MAP360 Collective.
Each business curated specialty menu items, displayed branded items, and promoted the takeover on their social media platforms. Customers got to enjoy the Let's Be Pals Classic at Gotham Burger Social Club and the Gotham Classic at Gotham West Market.
The takeover also included early screenings at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations, including a Q&A session with director and executive producer Craig Zobel, showrunner and executive producer Lauren LeFranc, and executive producer Dylan Clark at the lower Manhattan location.
Plus, in partnership with NYC Tourism, the streaming service lit up several prominent landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Javits Center, One Bryant Park, One World Trade Center, and Pier 17 in The Penguin’s signature plum purple hue.
When it comes to measuring the success of a wide-reaching campaign like this, Diamond said that “ultimately, we look at a variety of factors including viewership and conversation surrounding the series. One of the greatest successes for a campaign like this is the show’s resonance among fans. With the Gotham angle, we wanted to make sure New Yorkers felt a sense of pride and knew this was designed with them in mind.”
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