How Netflix Made the UK Question Reality for Black Mirror

Client: Netflix

To launch the seventh season of Black Mirror, we set out to create not just a campaign, but a cultural moment - one that blurred the lines between fiction and reality, just like the show itself. Our goal was bold: make Black Mirror the most talked about show in April and dominate streaming viewership. But with a tech-savvy, conspiracy-loving audience immune to traditional marketing, we needed something provocative, immersive, and unmistakably Black Mirror.

Enter 'The Nubbin'—a fictional consumer tech product that promised connection, enhancement, and control. First glimpsed in earlier seasons, The Nubbin became our Trojan horse. We didn’t promote the show. We launched a product.

We reverse-engineered a tech launch, mimicking the aesthetic of Apple and Samsung with eerie precision. From OOH placements in iconic UK locations to YouTube pre-rolls and cryptic social ads from a fake company, 'TCKR Systems', we sparked curiosity and conversation. Influencers and podcasters joined the illusion, reviewing and dissecting the device as if it were real.

On April 10th, the illusion shattered. The campaign revealed its true purpose: the release of the latest instalment of Black Mirror. The results were staggering, viral TikTok traction, a 707% spike in conversations on Reddit, and Black Mirror topping both SVOD and BVOD charts.

By embedding our campaign within the show’s universe, we didn’t just market Black Mirror—we made audiences live it. The Nubbin wasn’t real, but the questions it raised were. This was media creativity at its most immersive, subversive, and unforgettable.