Exclusive: Starz’s New Adult-Focused Marketing Is Not Family Friendly

Kids, you’re going to want to sit this one out.

Today, amid announcements at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, Starz revealed a new marketing campaign that specifically focuses on adult audiences, utilizing the tagline “We’re All Adults Here.”

“When we look across the competitors in the streaming landscape, you see a lot of broad messaging, folks talking about programming for all audiences and all genres,” Starz CMO Jimmy Hilburn told ADWEEK. “We see ourselves as differentiated from that. We think that we are in our own lane. We are complementary to those other services, and we really program for discerning adult audiences with provocative stories.”

Launching on July 15, Starz’s “We’re All Adults Here” campaign includes digital, print, TV, social and an OOH visual component, with installations in key markets such as New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. And the campaign isn’t shy about leaning into its messaging.

“Family fun has its time and place. This isn’t it,” a 60-second spot says amid scenes from the John Wick franchise, Outlander and more.

The campaign for the Lionsgate-owned streaming platform will roll out in phases, with copy teases launching next week. Among the executions, the company will showcase creative that notes Starz is “not fun for the whole family.” Also, outdoor executions may resemble rejection notes Starz has received in the past for wanting to show more adult themes on its signage.

Meanwhile, the campaign will also utilize Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” and visual executions showcasing Starz’s programming will roll out around the time of the Paris Olympics, according to Hilburn.

Done in conjunction with agencies Loyalkaspar, Zealot and adam&eveDDB, the campaign utilized consumer research to refine its messaging, with provocative storytelling standing out among brand associations.

“That was something that the consumers told us, and we’re like, ‘Let’s run with it,’” Hilburn said. “And then the [‘We’re All Adults Here’] line sealed the deal.”

Despite the exclusionary messaging for younger viewers, the campaign will showcase the streamer’s inclusive programming for more mature audiences, including shows catering to female and Black viewers, the demos that anchor Starz’s audience.

The upcoming slate for 2024 includes Down in the Valley (premiering July 5), Season 2 of The Serpent Queen (premiering July 12), the second part of Season 4 of Power Book II: Ghost (premiering Sept. 6), new drama Three Women (premiering Sept. 13) and the back half of Season 7 of Outlander (premiering Nov. 22).

“The key phrases that I would want people to associate with the campaign and with the Starz brand, we want to get credit for being premium, for being provocative, and I think with this campaign, specifically, for being a little clever and playful,” Hilburn said.

But could that playfulness alienate some consumers, such as families with kids? According to Hilburn, the company is being true to its messaging and reflecting how consumers feel about the brand.

“Starz has always been intentional about being a destination for provocative programming and tackles adult themes in ways that are integral to the story,” Hilburn said. “This campaign is an invitation to all adults with discerning tastes—including parents after they’ve put the kids to bed.”