1. PLANNING HYPE
How to market a product before it’s launched
DIRECTOR’S CUT (20 EXTRA EXAMPLES)

2. CREATED BY
Melissa Pepers is a strategy consultant and futurist that helps
businesses grow through the development of competitive business
models and trend based activations.
Julian Cole is a strategy consultant who’s helped entertainment
brands (PlayStation, Universal, Interscope, Google) to create
successful launch campaigns.

3. FIRST WEEK SALES MATTER
Entertainment and start-ups brands live and die by first week results.
Leading to front loading marketing investment to a pre launch window.

4. CHALLENGE
How do you create demand for a product that’s not available?

5. PLANNING HYPE FRAMEWORK
This deck helps brief/brainstorm pre-launch ideas with the help of
behavioral science.

6. FIVE TRIGGERS TO
PLANNING HYPE

7. 1. SCARCITY

8. SCARCITY
Less of something heightens its perceived value.
When scarcity seems less obvious, look for a way to make it exist.
Think: limited edition products, limited quantity of VIP tickets,
limited time brand collaborations, countdown timers

9. PINNACLE
ARCHIVES
DESCRIPTION:
The North Face unveiled a collection of revived pieces that have
been taken to the edges of the Earth by the world’s best climbers
and explorers at a pop-up space, high in the Dolomites in Italy,
sitting at an altitude of 2100m. The highest pop-up space in the
world gave passing climbers a space to rest and resupply.
The limited edition collection that had been through unique
conditions, increased the products value, as did the exclusivity
of the pop-up which functions as a reward to potential
lead-users of adventure apparel.
LINK
THE NORTH FACE

10. ONE COPY SONG
DESCRIPTION:
In a world of mass consumption of music, Adam Tensta brought
value to his new album by making one digital copy of his new
album meaning only one person could listen at a time
Adam created scarcity in the music category which is known for
its abundance.
LINK
ADAM TENSA

11. 2. SIGNALLING

12. SIGNALLING
Signal the extraordinary value of your product into something that your
audience will understand.
What would fans be willing to give up (time, money, possessions) to get
the product?
Think: Fan Stunts, Competitions, Waiting Lines

13. INJECTABLE
TICKETS
DESCRIPTION:
To create hype in advance of their 2018 tech festival, Pause
collaborated with agency Taboo and a series of tech
influencers to deliver them the first round of tickets via
injectable implants. It set the scene with the kind of
thought-provoking dialogue that indicated to fans what to
expect from their next festival, focusing around tech and
intimate boundaries.
For annual events there is often an unknown surrounding
how good the content will be. Injectable tickets signal the
value others place on the event. It’s something you don’t
want to see but you just have to watch, creating shareable
friction that riffs on the event’s 2018 theme of intimate
boundaries.
LINK
PAUSE FEST

14. SURVIVAL BILLBOARD
DESCRIPTION:
“Survival of the Grittiest” challenge was a live, online
experience in which eight gamers were strapped to a
billboard in London and faced a test of Lara Croft-like grit
and inner strength to win a trip inspired by the game.
They helped to signal the lengths fans would go for a
chance to be closer to the game
LINK
TOMB RAIDER

15. 3. CREDIBILITY

16. CREDIBILITY
They have to believe you can deliver.
It’s difficult for first-timers or those with a bad reputation.
Aligning with credible sources, demonstrating proof of capacity, resonating
with current trends.
Think: experts and ambassadors, existing brand reputation,
demonstrations, collaborations with credible sources

17. STREET ART
HOTEL
DESCRIPTION:
Celebrity Chef Shannon Bennett turned the construction site of his
upcoming six star hotel into an art exhibition for modern street
artist Rone.
The credibility of artist Rone was used to cast a light on the
beauty of decay and the history in forgotten spaces. This
created a desire to come and see the new site for his hotel
which is located one hour outside of Melbourne.
LINK
BENNETT HOTELS

18. GAMING THE
AMERICAN DREAM
DESCRIPTION:
To immerse viewers in the hedge fund world of Billions
protagonist Bobby Axelrod, Showtime partnered with the
Wall Street Journal, a favorite read for many finance workers.
The “Gaming the American Dream” experience (via WSJ
Custom Studios) teaches readers about the history of the
hedge fund market, its meteoric rise in wealth and societal
influence, and the major players that dominate (and threaten)
the industry today.
The credibility from the partnership with the respected
publication WSJ and through the authority that comes with
producing educational content. Demonstrating knowledge
by sharing it with others creates credibility.
By offering additional opportunities to interact with a world
in different ways creates credibility in the lead up to an
event.
LINK
SHOWTIME

19. 4. CURIOSITY GAP

20. CURIOSITY GAP
Knowledge gaps in our everyday produce a feeling of deprivation.
We’re motivated to resolve this state by obtaining the missing information.
Make our product the missing information.
Think: Disruptive stunts, Rabbit Holes, Puzzles, Conspiracy Theories

21. “CHEATER” CAR
DESCRIPTION:
On the streets of London and New York, Bravo set the stage
for a new season of Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce in dramatic
fashion.
The network hired a woman in each city to vandalize a
brand new car with phrases such as “Cheater” and “It’s
Over” while passersby watched.
Later, a distraught “boyfriend” would momentarily drive
away, only to return to the crowd of onlookers on a flatbed
revealing Bravo’s hand in the hijinks.
Bringing an extraordinary scenario into people's everyday
life drives them to want to know the backstory.
By making drama too delicious to ignore, Bravo was able
to capture everyone’s attention and use this as a potent
promotion for their upcoming season launch.
LINK
BRAVO

22. YEAR
ZERO
DESCRIPTION:
A series of Easter Eggs dropped throughout the lead-up to the
release of Nine Inch Nails album Year Zero created a fan
conspiracy theory that culminated in an exclusive private show for
the lucky few who cracked the code.
For dedicated fans who feel like they know everything about
NIN creating a conspiracy theory is the ultimate curiosity gap.
Fans who got to the bottom of it were rewarded with a private
show that’s the first live show to feature songs from the new
album.
The conspiracy theories also nurtured social proof through the
Bandwagon Effect where additional people join the cause when
there is already buzz, creating added contagion.
LINK
NINE INCH NAILS

23. 5. FOMO / OUTGROUPING

24. FOMO / OUTGROUPING
There are winners and losers and you only want to be the first one.
Divide your audience into haves and have nots.
Make your haves become an authority creating an outgroup bias... and
associated desperation in your have nots.
Think: early access for hardcore fans, media/influencers first-in, unboxings,
sneak peeks to select groups, voting and polls for user generated content

25. 2 CHAINZ
DESCRIPTION:
2 Chainz leveraged geolocation data with his pink trap house
located in Atlanta to increase engagement with his fans and to
raise awareness for his album via Instagram.
The real life activations tapped into FOMO via limited dates and
locations creating an in group of those who got to experience
the house.
PRETTY GIRLS LIKE TRAP
MUSIC PINK HOUSE

26. ONCE IN
A LIFETIME
DESCRIPTION:
American Express worked with Spanish film director and
screenwriter Álex de la Iglesia to create a short film that was
screened at an exclusive premiere for Platinum clients only. The
film was promoted ahead of the event; however, at the event it
was revealed that once the film was over, it would never be seen
again. Iglesia destroyed the only copy of the film in front of the live
audience, dramatically dropping the laptop containing it into a
tank of water.
Rewarding the ingroup with this film creates an outgroup of
everyone who is not a Platinum client which serves to create
desire in non-Platinum clients as well as a strong ego-boost for
those in the ingroup.
LINK
AMERICAN EXPRESS

27. 20 MORE EXAMPLES OF
PLANNING HYPE

28. BECAUSE
YOU WATCHED
DESCRIPTION:
For one weekend only, Netflix popped up in Los Angeles with an
interactive exhibition of Netflix Originals that guide customers to
additional shows they might love based on their current faves.
This was in advance of the release for the “because you watched”
feature of the subscription service.
Being only live for one weekend only limits the supply of this
unique experience and encourages people to prioritise it over
other activities. There is also the scarcity inherent in having a
unique experience to connect with a digital brand in person.
LINK
NETFLIX (SCARCITY)

29. DROP
MODEL
DESCRIPTION:
Batch releasing a new drop of products burst into the scene with
Supreme and has since spawned a cultural phenomenon, with the
marketing technique now seen far beyond streetwear.
Hype is created through multiple avenues of scarcity used to
create social proof and encourage herd behaviour.
– limited quantity available
– never to be made again
– exclusive tickets for the drop
– line out the door at the drop
LINK
SUPREME

30. ALL BLACK CATS
ARE NOT ALIKE
DESCRIPTION:
This crowdfunding campaign generated funds to create their new
book by using imagery of patron’s actual black cats in return for
their donations. In addition to smashing their crowdfunding goal,
they also put themselves in front of many potential customers –
those cat lovers who own black cats.
Having a target market that loves the chance to share their own
story (often seen with pets, babies and travel nostalgia) is a
powerful way to create incentives that are often win-win for the
business. The business gets free content and the cat owners get
the world to see how special their personal experience is.
LINK
STUDIO GOLDSPARKLE

31. THE SIDEWALK IS
YOUR RUNWAY
DESCRIPTION:
In the Refinery29 “29Rooms activation” visitors were able to
pose with handbags from the yet to be released fall
collection and share GIFs of the moments with friends on
social media. The luxury designer Michael Kors used a
double robot camera for its installation at the event to
entertain attendees.
Patrons of the exhibition will obviously desire to share
their exclusive experience of yet to be released fashion.
This insight turned patrons into micro-influencers, and
their content also naturally positions them as authorities
on the topic as they get to see it first.
LINK
MICHAEL KORS X REFINERY29

32. INCOGNITO
VIOLINIST
DESCRIPTION:
Hype can be created around scarcity by making people
deliberately miss out on an experience as a way of creating
conversation. Washington Post ran an experiment with renowned
violinist Joshua Bell by having him busk in a popular subway
station. Despite sell out performances of his typically coveted
tickets, he made only a small amount of money whilst busking and
noone recognised him, creating conversation around classical
music, performance and its place in modern society.
Using stereotyping of buskers as a frame to ensure that it was
unlikely that he would be noticed, Washington Post was able to
ensure people missed out on this performance. The scarcity also
became the cornerstone of the conversation, begging the
question of why his celebrity wasn’t recognised and why his
quality music not acknowledged.
LINK
WASHINGTON POST
(SCARCITY)

33. INSTAGRAM
OUT OF OFFICE
DESCRIPTION:
If you fly with Qantas you can set your email Out Of Office to
automatically populate with your custom message and any
Instagram travel shots that you tag with #qantasoutofoffice.
This transforms the usually boring email into a source of
enjoyment and creates an outgroup of those looking on. The
Hidden Box is multifaceted – it is whatever you want your next
trip to be, the featured destination(s) and Qantas itself.
LINK
QANTAS (INGROUP)

34. I’M
A MAC
DESCRIPTION:
Brand competition is a strong way to highlight who you’re people
are, what qualities they have, highlight why your product and
brand is so great and play off the fun of major rivalries.
A classic example of creating groups where there wasn’t any
before, dividing the world of computer users into either Mac or
PC, whilst demonstrating product qualities and brand features
with those of the Mac being desirable. It also shows clearly the
role of ridicule and humour in ‘outing’ the outgroup.
LINK
APPLE (INGROUP)

35. CVS BEAUTY
MARK
DESCRIPTION:
At the beginning of 2018 CVS announced it was done with heavily
retouched makeup ads, suggesting they set an unrealistic and
unhealthy beauty standard for the millions of women who shop in
its stores. The company also announced that it will introduce the
"CVS Beauty Mark," a watermark that will be used to highlight
imagery that has not been materially altered. CVS Pharmacy will
be working together with key brand partners and industry experts
to develop specific guidelines in an effort to ensure consistency
and transparency.
Here an ingroup of multiple businesses is used to create an
aspirational standard and to turn challenging an undesirable
status quo into an ownable trademark seeking to establish CVS
as not only in the ingroup, but as a thought leader of the desired
group behaviour.
LINK
CVS (INGROUP)

36. COURTNEY
BARNETT & KURT
VILE MIXTAPE
EXCHANGE
DESCRIPTION:
A site where fans can create Spotify playlists and send them to
fans on the other side of the world. The 1-1 pairings of people
across the globe make it a really personal experience and unique
as no one playlist are the same.

37. EXTRA SUPPORT
ACTS
DESCRIPTION:
This campaign turns YouTube pre-roll ads into a platform that gives
16 emerging Australian music acts a significant audience boost
and a chance to perform live on a major stage. The longer you
watch the artist’s pre-roll, the more you vote for the act.
Here waiting is framed as a charitable donation where you are
donating time and attention instead of funds, the incentive
being to support small acts by sharing your attention.
LINK
EXTRA GUM (INCENTIVE)

38. POP-UP
DOUGHNUT SHOP
DESCRIPTION:
Celebrating the visual link between the Google Home Mini and
doughnuts, a surprise series of pop-up doughnut shops were
created in key locations in advance of the official launch. Patrons
had the chance to ask the Google Home Mini a question and get
either a free doughnut or a free product.
Unexpected free products are always a big incentive which is
why the pop-up is an enduringly successful format to create
brand exposure and conversation. Pop-ups usually also set an
agenda, in this case the small and convenient size of the
product.
LINK
GOOGLE (INCENTIVE)

39. ANT MAN
BILLBOARDS
DESCRIPTION:
Teenie weenie billboards popped up across the world in advance
of the launch of Marvel’s Ant Man.
Giving passers by a taste of what it looks like from Ant Man’s
perspective proves they’re experts in looking from a very small
vantage point and creates credibility in their reputation for
humour, creativity and the capacity to build tiny worlds.
LINK
MARVEL

40. SXSWESTWORLD
DESCRIPTION:
Westworld is a luxury theme park where guests go to live
out their wildest fantasies. So, we decided to replicate that
experience by recreating Westworld at a secret location
outside of Austin, Texas during SXSW. Our social content
promoted the event not as an HBO activation but as a
real-life trip to Westworld. After a thirty minute drive from
downtown Austin on luxury buses, guests were free to explore
over 90,000 square feet of space and interact with the artificially
intelligent hosts played by over 60 actors. A 444-page script
drove the narrative of SXSWestworld and brought the park
to life. No two guests had identical experiences, and fans of
the show scoured the park to find hidden season two clues.
Credibility can be created not just through a brand’s reputation
of delivering quality experiences, but also through extraordinary
attention to detail that delivers a promise above and beyond
what the customer expects is possible.
LINK
HBO

41. QUESALUPA
MYSTERY BOX
DESCRIPTION:
For the launch of the the Quesalupa, Taco Bell managed to get
social media buzzing about the new “top secret” food. They
created anticipation by leaking a redacted press release about the
upcoming food that would be launched at the Superbowl. They
sent a number of celebrities and influencers mystery boxes and
got them to record their response. They allowed people to
pre-order the mystery item without even seeing what it was.
Mystery is the original clickbait. Starting rumours through a
redacted press release creates an initial source of friction that
people then want resolved because not knowing is inherently
unpleasant. By having celebrities open the mystery boxes a
second occasion to connect with the content was created
resulting in contagion that would not have otherwise existed.
LINK
TACO BELL

42. MARIA
GARCIA
DESCRIPTION:
Nathan For You is a TV comedy series with each episode
focusing on interesting and ridiculous ways to get very small
businesses noticed. In this episode Nathan helps a
clairvoyant attract new customers by putting signs around
LA highlighting that the psychic has a message for Maria
Garcia. Maria Garcia is the most prevalent females name in
LA leading to a flood of new customers curious to discover
what message awaits.
Taking the idea of seeing a sign to a very literal new level,
Nathan was able to get a flood of customers that couldn’t
ignore the friction that there was a message waiting for
them.
LINK
NATHAN FOR YOU

43. BET ON A
MURDERER
DESCRIPTION:
For its new suspense show, “La Forêt” (The Forest), France 3
enabled viewers to bet on who the murderer is, in real time.
Teaming up with sports bets brand Winamax, they produced an
algorithm that could manage people’s gambles between episodes
and during episodes, along with the revelations that the story was
bringing forward.
The chance to resolve the friction of seeing if you were right
about the murderer has been used here to enhance how much
skin is in the game whilst watching the show and a good
example of how friction can actually enhance the value of the
Hidden Box itself.
LINK
FRANCE 3

44. 100 YEAR OLD
FILM
DESCRIPTION:
Remy Martin made a film with John Malkovich that no one will see
for 100 years. It opens in 2115, when the Louis XIII bottled today is
ready. The film is called 100 Years, and it was financed by French
cognac maker Louis XIII, who conceived the idea to help highlight
the amount of time that goes into their product.
Launching conversation around a product that doesn’t exist yet
doesn’t have to mean it will exist in the near future. In this case
the incentive to wait is to also discover a previously unreleased
film, bundling the value of the cognac with the authority that
comes from quality film making, amplifying the notion of being
worth the wait.
LINK
REMY MARTIN

45. SPOILER
KILLERS
DESCRIPTION:
Anyone who loves TV series fights every day against a
terrible enemy: spoilers. But perhaps the launch of the third
season of Gomorra, the award-winning original production
of Sky, can do something about it. The most evil characters
from the most evil TV series are taking their threatening
ways to social media, menacing those people that can’t
keep their mouths shut online and ruin the show for fans.
This creates an outgroup of the undesired behaviour of spoiler
ruining, creating an ingroup of etiquette around protecting fans.
LINK
SKY ITALIA

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