On Thursday, March 5, the code will be cracked, the puzzle solved, with USA’s DIG set to premiere after an innovative marketing campaign seen as a game-changer for the network’s brand.

DIG’s campaign began in earnest at last year’s Comic-Con. According to Alexandra Shapiro, USA’s EVP of marketing and digital, SDCC was the “perfect place for DIG” because of the nerd-friendly resumes of creators Tim Kring (Heroes) and Gideon Raff (Homeland). USA partnered with Vine celebrity Jerome Jarre to host a Snapchat-enabled scavenger hunt, “leaning in to this highly engaged, influential audience.”

This is when USA first embraced the Moriah symbol (and its accompanied #DigDeeper) as the show’s central icon. During early research, the symbol “resonated… telegraphing that this is a show in that Da Vinci Code spirit.” Shapiro likened DIG’s symbol to the Minions of Despicable Me: “We’re trying to create that ubiquity.” DIG broke through “in a place that’s hard to do so, because of the simplicity of that message.”

USA was committed from day one to design its marketing strategy around the high concept of the show: “Given that this is conspiracy laden with religious themes, symbology and big auspices, we needed to create a campaign that feels as elevated, cinematic and worthy of the story we’re going to tell.” From the beginning, “we wanted to make this a layered, immersive campaign, that if you choose to engage it’s almost like an onion - as you peel it there are more and more layers and hidden secrets to be revealed,” Shapiro explains.

Just before Christmas, USA started airing five-to-10-second teases, serving as the foundation from which USA would build. The network soon launched the free augmented reality app, DIG Decoder. This custom app “played into this idea of making it immersive, engaging and interactive,” according to Shapiro. Placing the app viewfinder over select print and online ads reveals secrets of DIG, giving people a chance to win cash.

Another key puzzle piece was The Making of DIG, a half-hour behind-the-scenes special:

The sneak peek has aired across USA and its sister networks, and is available on YouTube and VOD.

“What DIG represents is a change in our development strategy.” -Alexandra Shapiro

USA’s commitment to take advantage of different forms of media is emblemized by its “first-of-its-kind partnership with Wattpad.” USA has used the massive social platform as a launch pad for a 12-part prequel series that reveals Peter Connelly’s (Jason Isaacs) backstory. More than 1 million people have spent over 60,000 minutes reading the prequels so far.

USA also collaborated with Escape the Room, an immersive game company that created a DIG-themed experience. Teams get “30 minutes to work together to unlock clues, solve puzzles and find a way to escape the room.” The free event can be found in Universal Studios theme parks, New York, Boston and Philadelphia. In such an isolated and digitally focused world, Shapiro believes this experiential connection “is more coveted than ever.”

On Feb. 19, USA unveiled DIG Decoded, an app where fans help Peter solve a murder mystery. The game features Easter Eggs and weekly puzzles to “expand the narrative.”

An interactive installation in New York projects fake blood coursing through the symbol on the side of buildings.

Everything culminates in an “unprecedented” social media campaign that has seen USA “been more aggressive than we ever have, generating over 90 million impressions.” This is USA’s “first example of a big data campaign.” The network’s constantly sifting through analytics, “looking at engagement, how we’re trending, what’s working, A/B testing things and then pivoting.” This “responsive real-time marketing is ultimately what’s going to make or break the success of this campaign.” With USA significantly exceeding all of their KPIs [key performance indicators], this is a strategy “we’re going to employ across all our properties moving forward.”

DIG similarly heralds a branding shift.

“We’ve spent a lot of time rethinking the strategic focus of the channel,” says Shapiro. “‘Characters Welcome’ fueled our growth for the last decade, but the world has changed since. What DIG represents is a change in our development strategy.” The makeover calls for more complex, realistic storytelling and a darker tonal shift, distancing USA shows from their traditional pace. DIG’s campaign “is as much about this show as laying the groundwork for a new and reinvigorated USA. I think DIG truly represents our new brand pillars.”

Shapiro hails USA’s tremendous support across its two broadcast networks, 18 cable nets, 50 websites, two theme parks and Universal Pictures as the campaign’s “pièce de résistance.” DIG is “the priority for the company. You cannot go on any one of our sister nets and not see promotion.”

DIG’s symbol has been subtly integrated across the dial, while The Today Show is running a massive sweepstakes with a grand prize trip to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The symbol even “disrupts” programming with a headline generating faux hack. USA is keeping it in the Universal family by using Fast Five as its lead-in to the DIG premiere. During the broadcast, talent from the franchise will be driving people to watch DIG and showcasing an all-new clip from Furious 7.

On the day of the premiere, USA will have the “War Room” assembled, airing “60 second roadblocks across the entire NBC portfolio.” They’re running a countdown, and “we’re going to do a lot of real-time engagement with all the Scandal watchers to get them to switch over and watch us at 10.” Isaacs and the cast will be live-tweeting throughout the show. USA is striving for ubiquity: “I don’t think you’ll be able to go anywhere without it. We’ve got takeovers on every major digital site, on radio, print, TV.” USA will spend premiere day “fanning the fire that we’ve set for the last eight months.”

Thursday’s premiere marks the conclusion of a make-or-break campaign for USA. With a never-ending cycle of content, “it’s incredibly difficult to break through the clutter and to really stand out,” Shapiro acknowledges. If DIG hits it big, perhaps USA has uncovered the secret.

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