The social media campaign for Series 11 of Portrait Artist of the Year (PAOTY) delivered an extraordinary performance, leveraging the combined reach of the Sky Arts Artist of the Year and Storyvault Films accounts across Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok. Running from 2nd October to 23rd December 2024, the campaign achieved:
- 13.4 million total reach
- 14.7 million impressions
- 154,000 new followers gained across all platforms.
With a strategic focus on video content, interactive posts, and engaging carousels, the campaign successfully generated excitement, drove viewership for the series and the Artist of the Year Masterclass, and created an engaged online community of art enthusiasts.
About the Client
Portrait Artist of the Year is a television programme on Sky Arts, celebrating the finest in portrait artistry through a competition format. The series is a part of the Sky Arts Artist of the Year franchise, which also includes complementary content such as the Artist of the Year Masterclass. With its blend of artistry, storytelling, and entertainment, the series appeals to a broad audience of art lovers and casual viewers alike.
The Challenge
The Series 11 campaign sought to:
- Build anticipation and excitement for the new season.
- Engage with existing fans while attracting new audiences.
- Drive viewership for both the main series and the Artist of the Year Masterclass.
- Expand the social media presence of both Sky Arts Artist of the Year and Storyvault Films accounts.
With a focus on art enthusiasts and a growing audience on TikTok, the challenge was to create visually compelling, highly shareable content that resonated across platforms while maintaining the show’s prestige and creativity.
The Solution
Our campaign was built around a multi-platform, content-driven strategy tailored to each social media channel. Key tactics included:
Strategic Video Content:
- Short, dynamic video clips showcasing key moments from the series and the artists’ creative processes.
- Teaser trailers to build anticipation for upcoming episodes and the Artist of the Year Masterclass.
- Behind-the-scenes footage to give audiences an insider view into the production and artistry.
Engaging Carousels & Static Posts:
- Carousels featuring close-up shots of finished portraits, episode highlights, and artwork comparisons.
- Static posts spotlighting contestants, judges, and guest sitters to deepen audience connection with the show.
Interactive Content to Boost Engagement:
- Polls and quizzes, such as “Which artist would you sit for?” or “Guess the medium!”
- Q&A sessions with contestants and judges, sparking two-way conversations with fans.
- User-generated content campaigns, encouraging viewers to share their own art inspired by the series.
Platform-Specific Focus:
- Facebook & Instagram (Sky Arts Artist of the Year): High-quality visuals and carousels resonated with established audiences, creating long-form engagement.
- TikTok & Instagram Reels (Storyvault Films): Short-form, snappy videos captivated younger, art-curious audiences, driving reach and shares.
- X (formerly Twitter): Real-time discussions and episode commentary kept the audience engaged during live broadcasts.
Masterclass Promotion:
- Dedicated campaign window (29th November – 13th December) focused on promoting the Artist of the Year Masterclass, showcasing tips from industry experts and episode highlights to sustain interest beyond the main series.
Results
The campaign delivered exceptional results across all metrics:
- 13.4 million total reach, expanding the audience of both Sky Arts Artist of the Year and Storyvault Films.
- 14.7 million impressions, highlighting the strong resonance and visibility of the content.
- 154,000 new followers gained across Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, growing the show’s fanbase and increasing brand loyalty.
Platform-Specific Highlights:
- TikTok: The use of short-form content drove the highest engagement rates, particularly among younger audiences discovering the series for the first time.
- Instagram & Facebook: Carousel posts showcasing episode highlights and close-up artwork generated significant interaction and amplified content shares.
- X (Twitter): Real-time conversations during live episodes spiked engagement, allowing fans to actively participate in discussions about the show.
Key Takeaways
This campaign demonstrated the power of a platform-tailored strategy in achieving outstanding reach and engagement within a short time frame. By using visually compelling, shareable content and interactive posts, we successfully:
- Built anticipation and excitement for Series 11.
- Deepened engagement with existing fans while attracting new followers.
- Extended the reach of the Sky Arts Artist of the Year and Storyvault Films brands.
