“The campaign feels multidimensional, so you can experience the Dexter universe in so many different ways,” Amy Campbell, chief marketing officer, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks, told ADWEEK. “I’m fortunate to work with some team members who have been working on Dexter for many seasons, and it’s so exciting because we are also fans. It’s exciting to be able to put so much energy into it.”
An immersive multi-room activation debuted in London from July 8 to July 13, where fans had the opportunity to walk into various rooms inspired by the show. In Mexico City, a Dexter: Resurrection takeover took place at Comic Con, where the trailer was shown to fans during a panel featuring Michael C. Hall and other cast members. A separate immersive experience will launch at San Diego Comic-Con later this month.
In New York City, sports fans and theatergoers alike were met with custom sponsorships of the Mets-Yankees Subway Series and Shakespeare in the Park.
On the day of the world premiere on July 11, the Empire State Building was lit up in red in honor of the show’s bloody theme. The premiere itself was also sprinkled with various interactive elements, including a choir, which was brought onto the red carpet before and after the screening of the first episode.
Meanwhile, Showtime debuted custom audio spots in various cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, which were narrated by Hall in Dexter’s first-person monologue style, dynamically targeted with custom messaging that changes based on a user’s location, time of day, and current weather.
Showtime also partnered with Amazon during Prime Week for custom, limited edition boxes that feature the show’s branding.
Though the campaign officially kicked off in April, Campbell said the seeds for the campaign were planted nearly two years ago, when the Dexter social media team reactivated the franchise’s social channels, while also debuting new TikTok and YouTube accounts and gaining 2.2 million new followers. Cumulatively, the franchise’s social footprint has surpassed 14 million followers across platforms, which, according to Showtime, is the largest among any of the network’s intellectual properties.