“It was always going to be tough to follow the multi-award-winning 'Lego Movie ad break' but getting Lego Batman actor Will Arnett to voice 18 special ads shows the possibilities of proper creative media thinking”

Campaign Magazine

So, how do you make your advertising cut through? Don't make it look like advertising - make it feel like it's coming from the channel itself.

Oh, and make it funny.

...it also helps to have access to a Hollywood A-lister to read your scripts and the Warner Bros animation department at your disposal.

For the first time in the history of UK television, the regular Channel 4 break continuity announcements were taken over by Lego Batman during the weekend before the launch of the Lego Batman film.

The campaign involved unique contextual continuity announcements featuring our hero commenting on the Channel 4 shows about to broadcast.

The takeover extended to social media where Channel 4 let Batman take control of their Twitter handle on the opening night.

Results:

After running in prime time on Channel 4 for four days, the continuity announcements had been seen by 40 percent of the entire U.K. population.

One in six of those who saw the campaign booked a ticket to see The Lego Batman Movie.

As a result, the film opened at no.1 at the UK box office. Holy effective ad-break innovation, Bat-fans.

Awards: It won something at every competition we entered it into, including:

Winner: Cannes Entertainment Lion for Excellence in Partnerships in Branded Content.

Shortlisted: Cannes Media Lion: Media - Use of TV.

Winner: Campaign Magazine Marketing New Thinking Awards: Content Excellence.

Winner: AdWeek Media Plan Of The Year Awards: Best Use of Branded Content/Entertainment.

Winner: MediaWeek Awards: 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze. Awards including "Best Use of Content" and "Media Creativity".

Winner: The Drum Content Awards: Best News/Media/Publishing Content Marketing Strategy/Campaign and "Highly Commended" for Most Innovative or Creative Use of Content.

Winner: The Drum Creative Awards: Most Creative Use of Media.

Winner: Campaign Media awards X2: Branded Content and Media and Entertainment.

Winner: Festival of Media Global Awards: Gold: Best Use of Content. Bronze: Best Branded Content in traditional / non-digital channels.

Winner: The Drum Marketing Awards: Music and Entertainment Strategy of the Year.