TV News: AMC's TURN: WASHINGTON'S SPIES Taps Into Today's Political Environment For Season 3 Promotions

In a press release:

AMERICA DIVIDED – NOW AND THEN

AMC TAPS INTO TODAY’S FRACTURED POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT TO PROMOTE UPCOMING THIRD SEASON OF “TURN: WASHINGTON’S SPIES”

NEW YORK, NY, April 8, 2016 – In support of the upcoming third season premiere of AMC’s Revolutionary War drama, “TURN: Washington’s Spies,” the network will launch a witty, tongue-in-cheek multi-platform campaign invoking parallels between today’s contentious political environment and the turmoil that gave birth to our great nation, upon which “TURN” is based.

“In our promotional campaign for the upcoming season of our Revolutionary War drama, ‘TURN: Washington’s Spies,’ we play off the reality of our current fractured political environment by comparing today with the 1770s, when the colonies were split and warring over their relationship with England,” said Linda Schupack, executive vice president of marketing for AMC and SundanceTV. “The campaign feels appropriate to the period but incredibly fresh as well.”

Anchored by several creative components, the campaign takes on the current presidential election by adding a well known face to the mix of current candidates: George Washington. Other elements include the introduction of season three key art, appearing in select markets through outdoor billboards and on bus sides, contrasting today’s American flag with the famed 13-star “Betsy Ross” version and the words, “America Divided: Now and Then” in bold letters.

The second element is a series of on-air promo spots featuring copy stating “Before there were red states and blue states, there were redcoats and bluecoats…” and “Feel the Turn…” to name a few.

The third element is a “Washington 1778” digital/social extension that launched today (http://washington1778.com and #washington1778), where AMC will “run” George Washington for president, against the current field of candidates in the race. Social elements which will populate Facebook as well as a micro-site set up like a campaign website, are comprised of numerous features. These features include campaign materials with quotes from George Washington on some of the same issues being debated today including taxes, education and immigration, real-time polling giving visitors an opportunity to vote for Washington or any of the current candidates and share their vote instantly on a variety of social media platforms, a meet the team section where browsers can see the members of George Washington’s “team,” GIFs featuring statements including “Mo Taxes, Mo Problems,” campaign posters featuring taglines such as “When the Issues Facing our Nation Are a Mother, You Need a Founding Father,” bumper stickers with taglines including “Taxes, Gun Control, Immigration? Been There. Done That,” cards featuring quotes from various characters from ‘TURN,’ and campaign buttons.

Finally, the campaign and upcoming third season of “TURN: Washington’s Spies” will be underscored in live event held in Washington on April 13 featuring two former candidates from the current race, Mike Huckabee (R-AR) and Martin O’Malley (D-MD), Ian Kahn, who plays George Washington on “TURN,” the creators of the show, Barry Josephson and Craig Silverstein and AMC President of Programming, Joel Stillerman. The two former Governors will be making their first joint appearance since stepping out of the Presidential race to share the campaign materials for “TURN: Washington’s Spies” and to discuss the state of politics today.