The Unique Marketing Campaign for ‘Gossip Girl’

HBO Max incorporates social media marketing to new and very real levels for the ‘Gossip Girl’ reboot.

The recent ‘Gossip Girl’ reboot has incorporated creative social media advertising to parallel the importance of platforms, such as Instagram in the show’s plot. The marketing team at HBO Max has taken social media to new levels, using the @gossipgirl Instagram account to perform exactly its function in the show. It posts gossip updates on each of the characters as if they are real people. Many of the characters even have their own accounts that are updated frequently to portray the lives of the show’s influencers, often referred to by the narrator as “Manhattan’s elite”.

Viewers can even text the number listed in the account’s bio to subscribe to frequent gossip updates. While text updating was used in the original ‘Gossip Girl’ series, Instagram updating is new. The Gossip Girl blog was replaced by an Instagram account led by teachers in the show, showing the technological advancements made since the original series. This same account is maintained in real life to reflect the gossip as if it is completely real.

Each released episode coincides with promoted posts hinting at new drama occurring in the lives of each character. The marketing team has even incorporated concepts, such as Airdrop for iPhones, in posts to share juicy gossip updates from the show.

By making the Gossip Girl account as real as possible, the show emphasizes just how extreme social media has become. The show itself portrays privates information of characters becoming viral nearly instantly, making the concept of a gossip account even scarier as it reflects the real-life effect of social media on celebrities and influencers these days. By taking advantage of realism, HBO Max takes a unique and influential approach to ‘Gossip Girl’ promotion.