MTV: 2020: Error Found

A website not loading, a bug in the system, a smartphone overheating: 2020 definitely needs a reboot. And that is exactly what MTV did. MTV channels and digital platforms across EMEA and Asia launched a disruptive End of the Year campaign, to celebrate the end of 2020 and welcome the New Year. Playing with the concept of a system fault, MTV plays down a year that has been definitely an unexpected one, using the irreverent and disruptive tone of voice that distinguishes the brand. The campaign kept viewers glued to the screen during the last 6 days of 2020, with daily activations to count down the time remaining to the 2020’s “reboot”. QR Codes and an ASCII aesthetic has been used to create disruptive and interactive creative elements which literally “hacked” MTV’s channel programming and digital platforms, to engage with the viewers, every day from Dec 26th to Dec 31st, at 20:20 - of course. The QR codes were featured every day from 20:20 in every breaks until mid-night, leading the public to viewing special daily promos, download Instagram filters, GIFFs, stickers and much more, directly on their mobile devices. The promos informed the viewers that 2020’s “reboot” has started, featuring different MTV properties and most iconic MTV’s faces integrated in the creative concept of the campaign. All creative assets has been envisioned to ignite the curiosity of the fans: to discover what the stunt was about, users had to scan the QR code. At the end of the campaign, on January 1st, fans who engaged with the brand won special prizes, including limited edition T-Shirts to “hack” 2020.