ITV launches 'Drama vs Reality' brand campaign

BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins and Love Island winner Kem Cetinay go head-to-head in fight for our attention

Unlikely pairing launch new ITV brand campaign ‘Drama vs Reality’ to highlight more content on the ITV Hub than ever before

Tonight, ITV kicks off a new brand campaign, titled ‘Drama vs Reality’, to highlight the wealth of drama and reality shows that are available on ITV Hub. The idea behind the new campaign shows stars from drama and reality TV stopping at nothing in the fight for our attention.

ITV Hub has kicked off 2021 with its best ever viewing numbers for drama - and titles including The Pembrokeshire Murders, The Bay series 2, Finding Alice, McDonald and Dodds, Grace, Unforgotten series 4, Marcella series 3 and Too Close are all there for viewers to discover.

ITV is also home to the biggest reality series, and full series of Love Island, Ibiza Weekender, The Cabins, Real Housewives of Cheshire and Jersey, and Sam and Billie: The Mummy Diaries are ready and waiting for reality fans to binge on.

The campaign launches tonight with the first TV ad after The Brit Awards this evening, showing the first in a series of unexpected pairings - which sees renowned drama stars pitted against beloved reality stars as they aim to take each other out in amusing, underhand ways in their bid to win the battle for viewers’ attention on ITV Hub.

The fully integrated marketing campaign will use multiple media channels, including outdoor as well as over the coming weeks innovative activations on younger skewing platforms such as Snapchat and Tiktok, bringing the ‘Drama vs Reality’ idea to life, for what is ITV’s biggest brand campaign of recent times.

Jane Stiller ITV’s Chief Marketing Officer said:

With this ambitious campaign, we are investing in getting the message out to viewers, especially those that do the majority of their viewing on demand, that ITV Hub is a destination for brilliant content and is the home of the best drama and reality programming.”

The first TV ad in the campaign titled ‘Poison’, shows unlikely duo, BAFTA award-winning actor Jason Watkins (Des, McDonald and Dodds) having murderous intentions when he invites Love Island’s Kem Cetinay over for a drink.

In the playful skit, we find Jason on-set, preparing lines for an upcoming scene, until interrupted by a knock at his trailer door by the unassuming Kem. The pair exchange pleasantries as Jason invites Kem inside for a drink. Seemingly unbeknown to Kem, Jason causes distraction with a cathartic speech on the importance of drama, whilst making a drink for the reality star which is laced with deadly poison.

As the two seem relaxed in one another’s company, the battle between drama and reality becomes clear, Kem is one step ahead - swapping his poisoned drink with Jason’s to win the fight for our attention - as the new season for Love Island draws closer.

Jason Watkins said:

“‘Delighted to be highlighting the wealth of ITV Drama on the ITV Hub. Fighting Drama’s corner! Who knows, maybe one day I’ll dip my toe into Reality!”

Kem added:

“What can I say, I’m a competitive guy so I didn’t come to play! When drama and reality collide it all kicks off”.

The campaign was created with Uncommon Creative Studio and shot by Oscar-winning Director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables) whose credits also include the iconic ITV drama Prime Suspect. Alongside cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, whose BAFTA nominated work includes the iconic Green Zone, Jason Bourne and The Big Short, and Terry Needham, the 1st assistant director on Black Hawk Down.

Media for the campaign was planned and delivered by Essence.

The campaign is set to follow with another unanticipated battle between ITV drama and reality TV stars launching next week. Stay tuned.