The swarm is coming

Since August 2, 2023, we have consumed more natural resources than can be regenerated by the end of the year. This has consequences: extinction of species, greenhouse gases, and environmental disasters. What happens when the Earth eventually demands repayment of these debts?

These questions are answered by the most elaborate European series co-production to date by ZDF – the adaptation of Frank Schätzing's "The Swarm". Based on the global bestseller, humanity is threatened by a mysterious swarm intelligence from the deep sea, symbolically representing our real and current environmental problems.

The streaming market is a fiercely competitive shark tank, dominated by international players like Netflix or Amazon Prime. To counter the massive advertising budgets of these streaming sharks, creativity was required.

The urgency of the topic is clear. But how can ZDF promote a blockbuster in competition with the really big streaming giants?

Producing a German high-quality series blockbuster is a good starting point but does not necessarily guarantee success anymore. 

We armed ourselves with the strategy of the swarm. A diverse target audience approach, the smart integration of online and offline media, and various campaign phases converged into a communication swarm that no one could ignore.

Whether in water-related locations like harbors, mysteriously at night, or impressively with 3D animations – the communication swarm was composed of various media that together formed a larger whole. Different measures were grouped to captivate environmentally conscious individuals, cinema and streaming enthusiasts, young users, and thriller fans alike.

An extensive accompanying offer deepened the environmental aspect of the series, thus making a significant contribution to education about marine conservation.