TouchIT

To help launch FX Networks’s newest series, Justified, we developed a marketing initiative aimed to drive tune-in, generate repeat visitors for the site, increase publicity around the show and build a fanbase before airing the premier episode. What set this project apart was that the branding had yet to be established, so BLITZ worked in tandem with Studio FX to fully develop the overall look, feel and tone of the Justified brand, while simultaneously building a destination microsite.

To start, we only had one piece of key art available for creative insight, so we found our true inspiration in the show’s unique Harlan, KY setting—we wanted the site to look and feel like a photograph taken in a rugged Harlan saloon, so that users can get a glimpse of Marshal Raylan’s world.

FX wanted to launch the site and series with a bang, so we enhanced the experience and offered more features than most FX sites we have created in the past. We started with the nuts and bolts—program airtime, episode & music guides, cast & crew profiles, a community forum that also links to Twitter, and a blog area—and to give the audience a more engaging journey into Raylan’s life, we loaded the site with extra cargo. Aspiring cowboys can practice their shooting skills in Target Practice and Quick Draw, and share their scores on the leaderboards or on Facebook. To further immerse themselves in old-fashioned Western culture, visitors can scan The Timeline to discover the most famous outlaws and crimes in American history or they can read about Elmer Leonar, the famous crime novelist whose book, Fire in the Hole (2000), inspired the creation of FX’s Justified.

Additionally, we added blogs from the production team, downloadable media, direct mobile updates, exclusive episode clips and behind the scenes sneak peeks of what it takes to bring a Western crime story to life. Interactive features as compelling as these will turn any visitor into a Marshal-in-the-making and Justified fan to the bone.