Syfy is planning a big Monday premiere night with new series The Expanse and Childhood’s End on Dec. 14, so it’s seeking the attention of sci-fi fans everywhere. For the miniseries Childhood’s End, that means heading to YouTube and speaking directly to fans from there.

The network posted the trailer on YouTube like any other show, but added an extra element to make its campaign stand out.

One of the series of trailers uses YouTube’s TrueView skippable ad format to encourage viewers to watch all the way through while also giving a feel for the miniseries’ tone. The trailer “No Need to Be Afraid” (above) uses a twist on a phrase common throughout the miniseries to also tell viewers, “No need to skip the ad.”

The direct route Syfy uses mirrors the show’s story as well. In Childhood’s End, based on a novel by Arthur C. Clarke, Earth is visited by an alien race who seems to be benevolent and helpful but may have ulterior motives for helping mankind, after it ends poverty and war. Their leader, Karellen, spreads a message of peace and encourages followers with the message “No Need to Be Afraid.”

The next spot in the same YouTube series adds a level of familiarity between the viewer and narrator, laying out several reasons why sci-fans would want to watch.

The spot, simply called “Wait, You Know These People,” connects the actors and actresses from Childhood’s End to other popular movies and shows fans may have seen them in. It starts off with a direct: “Wait, don’t skip yet - you totally know those people.”

Actors from Under the Dome, Orange is the New Black and “You swear that’s the sexy doctor from Nip/Tuck because of course it is.”

Syfy worked with YouTube to ensure that these spots are seen by fans of the other shows mentioned in the spot above, targeting TV fans who may not have known Childhood’s End was coming or maybe doesn’t watch Syfy much.

Read more at Adweek.

Brief Take: The trailer speaks directly to the video’s viewer, breaking the fourth wall in a way not unlike Syfy’s Sharknado trailers for its sequel, The Second One. Its strategy of speaking directly to the viewer (instead of down to them) is a smart one if they want to draw in that same millennial, sci-fi-loving crowd.

[Image courtesy of Syfy]

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