The "Three women" campaign by CBC, promoting the series Strange Empire, positions the brand as a curator of bold, original storytelling that challenges traditional narratives within the media and entertainment space. The campaign’s core proposition emphasizes empowerment and resilience, focusing on a unique Western drama where female characters take center stage in a historical frontier setting. By highlighting a story in which women survive and thrive independently amid adversity, CBC underscores its commitment to diverse, compelling content that inspires and engages viewers seeking fresh perspectives.
Strategically, the campaign leverages the narrative genre’s inherent emotional and cultural resonance by framing Strange Empire as a dark, gritty drama with a distinctive twist: the absence of men elevates women from the margins to protagonists who drive the plot. Targeting audiences interested in nuanced, character-driven stories, the campaign taps into a growing appetite for strong female leads and complex gender dynamics in media. The use of a trailer on YouTube with relevant metadata and calls to action enhances accessibility and viewer engagement, while social media integration fosters community connection around the series. This creative angle—combining period drama with contemporary themes of female empowerment—allows CBC to differentiate the show within the crowded entertainment market and align it with broader socio-cultural conversations about gender and agency.
FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution.
This campaign's trailer for "Strange Empire" leverages the exemplary story format by presenting a narrative arc centered on three women grappling with survival and empowerment in an 1860s frontier town after the men have disappeared. The show's premise is framed as a story of struggle, independence, and resilience—making the show itself (the product) integral to the plot's resolution. The trailer immerses viewers in the unfolding drama, positioning the series as both the content and the solution to viewers' desire for original, story-driven entertainment featuring strong female leads. The emphasis on narrative cues, genre labeling as "narrative," and description of plot-driven conflict confirm this classic storytelling approach.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Netflix – Positioned as the pioneer and leader in on-demand streaming, Netflix focuses on original content production and global accessibility, offering a vast library of diverse genres that appeals to a broad audience with personalized viewing experiences.
2. HBO (Warner Bros. Discovery) – Renowned for high-quality, critically acclaimed original programming and exclusive series, HBO leverages premium storytelling and cinematic production values to attract a discerning, subscription-based audience.
3. Amazon Prime Video – Combines a vast streaming library with integrated e-commerce benefits, emphasizing affordable access, original and licensed content, and bundling with Amazon’s ecosystem to enhance customer value.
4. Hulu – Differentiates through timely access to current TV episodes and robust next-day streaming options, alongside a mix of originals and licensed shows that target cord-cutters seeking flexibility and variety.
5. FX Networks (Disney) – Focuses on edgy, auteur-driven narrative content aimed at mature audiences, leveraging strong brand identity and critical acclaim to secure a distinctive, premium cable and streaming position.
Q: What is Three women about?
A: Three women is a professional campaign launched in the United States in 2014 by CBC to promote the television drama Strange Empire. Created for the media and entertainment sector, the campaign centers on a powerful film trailer that introduces viewers to a Western set in the 1860s Alberta-Montana frontier, where women are the central protagonists following the disappearance of most men. The creative idea highlights themes of survival, independence, and resilience, positioning Strange Empire as a bold, female-led narrative that challenges traditional genre conventions. The campaign leverages digital platforms, including CBC’s YouTube channel and social media, to drive engagement and viewership.
Q: What creative device does Three women use?
A: Three women employs the exemplary story format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach centers the campaign around a compelling narrative arc in which the product—the Strange Empire series itself—plays a vital role in the plot and its resolution. The trailer immerses viewers in the dramatic world of three women navigating survival and empowerment in a hostile frontier, making the show’s premise integral to the campaign’s storytelling. By foregrounding character-driven conflict and resolution, the campaign exemplifies classic narrative advertising, engaging audiences through story immersion rather than overt product messaging.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Three women?
A: The campaign proposition for Three women positions CBC as a curator of original, bold storytelling that disrupts conventional narratives in the media and entertainment space. By promoting Strange Empire as a Western where women take center stage in a historically male-dominated genre, CBC speaks directly to audiences seeking nuanced, character-driven stories and strong female leads. The campaign’s focus on empowerment and resilience underscores CBC’s commitment to diverse, compelling content that resonates with contemporary viewers and aligns the brand with broader cultural conversations around gender, agency, and originality in entertainment.
Q: How does Three women rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Three women holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 64/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the context of media and entertainment marketing.
Q: Who are the competitors in CBC, Strange Empire's category?
A: In the media and entertainment category, CBC and Strange Empire compete with major players such as Netflix, which leads with global on-demand streaming and a vast library of original content; HBO, known for its critically acclaimed, premium original programming; Amazon Prime Video, which integrates streaming with e-commerce benefits and a broad content offering; Hulu, recognized for timely access to current TV episodes and a mix of originals and licensed shows; and FX Networks, which distinguishes itself with edgy, auteur-driven narratives aimed at mature audiences and a strong brand identity.
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