Channel 4 campaign elevates excitement ahead of Rise and Fall launch

7 March 2023

Watch here: Rise and Fall

Channel 4 has revealed the marketing campaign for its new competitive reality show, Rise and Fall, a unique game about what it takes to get to the top - how to win power, how to keep hold of it and how to use it to influence others. Created by 4creative, Channel 4’s award winning in-house creative agency, the campaign features a conceptual trail, experiential lift stunt and Channel 4’s first ever TikTok game.

The show involves sixteen ordinary British people who begin the game as equals but soon find themselves either in a position of power as a Ruler or as part of the powerless as a Grafter. While the Rulers live in an opulent penthouse, the Grafters must survive in basic conditions in the basement. Anyone can rise to a position of power and anyone can fall, but only one Ruler can win the prize fund at the end of the game.

The campaign kicks off with a 40-second conceptual trail for the highly anticipated show, airing tonight during Hollyoaks. It features a seemingly sophisticated, penthouse dinner party, which quickly turns chaotic when a group of underdogs from the basement arrive via the lift - introducing viewers to the power struggle which will ensue during the show.

Lynsey Atkin, Executive Creative Director at 4creative, said: “There are few briefs more exciting than a new reality format, yet Rise and Fall goes even further – a social experiment that promises treachery, twists and an almighty struggle for power. We loved working with director Matt Walker to bring to life this subversion of societal norms in the most outlandish way possible.”

In addition, Channel 4 has teamed up with immersive technology company headraft GmbH for its first ever branded TikTok game. The game brings to life the campaign tag line “let the power struggle begin” with players starting in the basement and competing against their friends. By blinking, they must see who can reach the penthouse fastest, moving higher with every bat of an eyelid. The activity will kick off with creators including Grace Keeling, YourBoyMoyo and WoodyandKleiny playing against each other, whilst encouraging the public to beat their scores.

As part of the campaign, 4creative has developed a lift experience stunt which will see ordinary lifts in UK shopping centres transformed into the Rise and Fall lift - even using audio recorded by the show voiceover. The lift is a key component within the show, transporting players from the top to bottom, or vice versa.

Distinctive posters which imitate the fun visuals of the conceptual will also be on show in shopping centres and roadsides across the UK, depicting inversive portraits of characters from the top and bottom of society.

To drive awareness of the show, Channel 4 has partnered with LadBible and Reddit on two social campaigns as well as partnering with popular podcasts - The Girls Bathroom, Wednesdays We Drink Wine and Off Menu - for weekly updates on the show, read by the hosts as advertorial.

In addition, a two-part influencer campaign has been created which will see influencers paired to compete against each other in Rise and Fall inspired challenges and take to the streets to film vox pop videos asking the public how they would handle the challenges of the show.

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