Picture this: You’re at the Grand Central Station in New York City, soaking in the sights and weaving through the sea of people at the busy station.
… and while you do these things, you find an office cubicle enclosed in a glass box in the middle of the busy train station.
Not only that.
As you get closer, people inside the glass box appear to be working, talking the way anyone would in a typical office.
That’s exactly what fans of the hit TV show “Severance” and bystanders saw in January 2025, when Apple TV+ staged a guerrilla marketing stunt at the Grand Central Station.
Image from Thrillist
For those who may not know, “Severance” is a 2022 American science fiction psychological thriller created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller.
It stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, and Sarah Bock.
The Apple TV+ show follows employees at the fictional corporation Lumon Industries that have undergone a procedure “severance,” which strips them of their memories of the outside world while at work and prevents them from recalling their job once they leave.
Since the show’s 2022 premiere, it has garnered critical acclaim from critics and viewers, with it going on to become the most watched series in the history of Apple TV+ by 2025.
Now that you know about the series, let’s turn our attention back to the stunt.
As part of the buildup for the second season’s 2025 release, Apple TV+ cooked up a guerrilla marketing stunt to generate hype.
The pop-up set, enclosed in a glass box, was filled with computers, chairs, and office cubicles that were reminiscent of the ones used in “Severance.”
What else?
The show’s actors were in attendance themselves and were seen sitting, working, cleaning the carpets of their makeshift office, and were conversing with each other like they usually do in the show!
Snippet from Apple TV’s YouTube channel
The hit show’s creator and director were in attendance as well, and were spotted taking pictures of the stunt and entertaining fans who asked for photos with them.
Now, for the important question…
Was the guerrilla marketing stunt a success?
The answer is a resounding YES!
Fans and bystanders who spotted the guerrilla marketing stunt posted photos and videos on social media, with some sharing their live reactions.
Speaking of social media, the stunt generated buzz and engagement as can be seen through these stats:
- Posts about the stunt on X (formerly known as Twitter) reached over 5 million impressions.
- TikTok posts featuring the stunt garnered over 10 million views.
- YouTube videos covering the stunt reached over a million views.
The stunt also led to a major increase in mentions of “Severance” and Apple TV+ on the Internet, just a few days before its January 17, 2025 release.
All in all, the guerrilla marketing stunt was a success, and more importantly, it generated hype for fans and fostered intrigue among those who have to watch “Severance.”
Creating Impact
So, what does this guerrilla marketing tactic teach us?
It shows that experiential and immersive stunts go a long way in fostering interest among a target audience.
By bringing the world of “Severance” into the real world, Apple TV+ and the team behind it were able to leverage immersion and mystery to create a memorable campaign that went beyond traditional promotion and advertising.
The next time you think of a campaign, consider taking inspiration from this success story!
You never know, doing that just might be what you need to amp up your brand’s visibility!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
Powered by VX Dynamic
www.vxdynamic.com
