Lifetime’s holiday season launched this past weekend with the premiere of An En Vogue Christmas. This is Lifetime’s fourth year participating in the increasingly crowded holiday programming landscape, and they’re optimistic it’ll be their biggest, thanks to a certain misanthropic feline Internet celebrity.

Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever, plopping down cable viewers’ chimneys this Saturday November 29th at 8 PM ET/PT, is Lifetime’s holiday centerpiece. Talent and diversity are integral to the Lifetime brand, but Grumpy Cat is an entirely different species, and the cantankerous kitty happens to be the headliner for Lifetime’s winter movie lineup.

“We hope Grumpy Cat is our ace in the hole. We really haven’t had a big anchor movie over the past two years, [so it’s exciting to have something] that’s getting so much buzz for us,” says Valerie Albanese, Lifetime’s SVP, brand creative.

The trailer for Grumpy Cat, the Internet’s first look at the movie, was posted on Halloween and grabbed more than 2 million views within three days. Now it has 3.4 million, all of which are “completely organic and unpaid,” says Albanese. Lifetime premieres four other movies this winter, and while “there’s something good, something big about each, I think that Grumpy Cat will be the biggest.”

Lifetime has dressed up Grumpy, voiced sardonically by Parks & Rec‘s Aubrey Plaza, as its morose host and mascot this holiday season, the tinsel that’s tying all their programming together.

“Grumpy Cat is really helping us with some of the movies that we have,” stamping her paw print all over the network, says Albanese. Lifetime’s movies share a graphics package sporting their “Merry Movies All Season Long” theme, and Grumpy introduces each movie during the spots.

Grumpy’s social marketing team has “been great partners with us,” says Albanese, throwing content back and forth across their platforms. Grumpy Cat’s Facebook page, with nearly 7 million followers, has been redesigned to promote the film. The Grumpy Cat Tumblr has ben counting down to the movie since September. Lifetime’s also been having fun with Grumpy Cat, creating a shareable “catvent” calendar. They’ve also produced a digital Grumpy Cat photobomb opportunity with “Grumpy Grams” and you can try to “Dress Grumpy Cat” for Christmas.

Grumpy Cat’s domain also extends to Twitter, where Plaza, has been tweeting out content, sassing along with her many sarcastic followers. Plaza will be a constant presence, live-tweeting during the movie.

Lifetime has emphasized interactivity “because that’s what people want to do with Grumpy,” says Albanese. She’s even invaded New York City, with a festive billboard on Houston Street proving a popular photo spot.

Lifetime has positioned Grumpy Cat as the Grinch of 2014 and the network couldn’t be happier with the results. Grumpy Cat’s #WorstChristmasEver could make this Lifetime’s best.Christmas.ever.

Images courtesy of Lifetime.

Tags:


  Save as PDF