The Aliens take over the airwaves for launch of new E4 drama

5 February 2016

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Messages from The Alien League interrupt normal programming across Channel 4 shows as well as on radio, YouTube and in the cinema

Last night (4.2.16) bizarre alien messages took over TV, radio and internet channels as a renegade alien group appeared to take over the airwaves as part of an innovative marketing campaign for E4’s new drama, The Aliens.

The Alien League, a rebel group featured in the drama, appeared to hack into programming to broadcast their message appealing for people to support their cause.

The message ‘interrupted’ programming and urged viewers and listeners to visit a dedicated website - www.alienleague.co.uk - as part of a marketing campaign promoting the E4 drama series The Aliens which will air this March.

The hacks appeared across all Channel 4 channels at 10pm yesterday as well as during ad breaks on ITV and Sky. In a media first, three E4 shows (Virtually Famous, Rude Tube and a repeat of Gogglebox) were interrupted whilst popular YouTubers agreed to allow their channels to be interrupted with the hacks.

A series of specially created fake radio ads for butter, car insurance and toilet cleaner were also hacked with audio from the Alien League and in the cinema, audiences will see the clips appear during the iconic Pearl and Dean and DCM idents.

The 20” and 40” clips show a member of the Alien League rallying support for the cause amongst her fellow aliens before the human border guards drag her away.

Harry Dromey, Group Marketing Manager at Channel 4 said: "We challenged ourselves to entertain and bring the drama to life. The result is the disruption of as many media channels as possible to stop people in their tracks and get them talking about The Aliens. It's necessitated an incredible amount of collaboration working in sweet harmony with 4creative, OMD UK, Social Chain and numerous innovative media owners."  

Every message of the campaign activity carries the slogans ‘Join Us’ or ‘Fight Human Oppression’ and encourages audiences to visit www.alienleague.co.uk for more information and an extended teaser for the show.

The Aliens follows the story of Lewis, a border guard who mans the checkpoint between the alien ghetto and the human side of the wall. But when he discovers that he is the world’s first half-alien, he finds himself drawn into a world of divided loyalties and a search for his own identity.

A selection of the hacks can be viewed on E4’s YouTube channel:

The Supershoppers meets The Aliens

Fake holiday ad

The Tattoo Fixers meets The Aliens

 

Notes to Editors

 

Credits:

Executive Creative Directors: Chris Bovill & John Allison            

Creative Director: Neil Gorringe

 

For Channel 4 Marketing

Group Marketing manager: Harry Dromey

Marketing Manager: Daisy Mount

 

Creative agency/production company: 4Creative

 

Creatives: Matt Fee, Richard Biggs, Jolyon White

Director: Neil Gorringe

Photographer: Rankin

Group Business Director: Olivia Browne

Production Execs: Jason Delahunty, Aymeric Gauvain

Producers: Rory Maclean, Simon Pedersen

Audio: Rich Martin (Envy)

Online: Dean Wyles (Envy)

VFX: The Mill

Editor: Quinn Williams (tenthree)

Designer: Kevin Price

Digital Producer: Christos Savvides

Junior Digital Producer: Maddie Smith

Digital Production Partner: Rocket Science Solutions

About 4Creative

4Creative is Channel 4’s multi-award winning creative agency. Headed up by Chris Bovill and John Allison, 4Creative acts as both creative agency and production company across all advertising and branding output for Channel 4 and its family of brands.

http://www.4creative.co.uk/

 

The full list of channels where the hacks: can be found:

-          All C4 channels at 10pm on Thursday 4th February. It will be interrupting a number of C4 promos. On air interruptions continue for a week.

-          ITV and Sky channels around 10pm on Thursday 4th February. It will interrupt a saccharine holiday ad.

-          Three E4 shows (Virtually Famous, Rude Tube and a Googlebox repeat).

-          Popular YouTubers and across Facebook / Twitter users with large followings

-          Radio ad breaks

-          Across the country there will also be legal fly posting by the Alien League.

 

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