BBC Brit: Red Chair Stunt

BBC Brit launched in Norway in the beginning of April. The channel had a very successful start, but to further raise the awareness of the channel and continue to grow the ratings, we decided to create a public event in the middle of Oslo where people could interact with the show in a completely new way, namely by testing their storytelling skills in Graham Norton’s red chair.

To raise the awareness, we needed the public to engage in a way that also created media attention. We decided to create a public event in the middle of Oslo where people could interact with the show in a completely new way, namely by testing their storytelling skills in Graham Norton’s red chair. The red chair is a part of the talk show where the audience gets a chance to come up on stage and tell their most embarrassing story. If the story is not embarrassing or entertaining enough, they get tilted out of the chair.

The clear objective was to raise awareness about BBC Brit via their most popular talk show The Graham Norton Show. A media partner and at least ten local news stories, as well as engagement in social media, were also a part of the objective.

With BBC effects and a big stage in the middle of Oslo’s busiest street, the rig was set. The public was invited to watch and to participate in the red chair, and a surprising amount of people was ready to dish out their embarrassing stories.

To get the right media attention we formed a media partnership with Se&Hør, Norway’s biggest celebrity magazine. In addition, we sent out press releases, images and a highlight video on all the participants to their local media.

At the actual event there was an audience of over 40 000. In total, there were 14 media stories about the show, channel and the red chair, with a reach of nearly a million Norwegians. In social media, the videos and pictures had a reach of over 600 000 and over 1500 engagements not included Se&Hør’s social media, and BBC Brit was the highest rated international channel in Norway the following week.