Netflix’s ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ campaign tests the price of morality in real life
The promotional effort for ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ asks the public, “Does morality have a price, and if so, how much?” Their response? “Comically grim.”
Morality is often considered a fundamental aspect of human nature — unless you’re a fan of the South Korean fictional drama, ‘Squid Game.’ Then, you might argue that one’s moral compass can be easily tilted with the right amount of cold, hard cash.
Netflix put this idea to the test in the real world in its promotional campaign for the new reality spinoff, ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ ahead of the season finale on December 6.
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Encompassing digital, social and out-of-home media, the campaign includes a man-on-the-street teaser film, in which New Yorkers are interviewed about their morals by one of Squid Game’s famous pink soliders, a website with an interactive, seven-question morality test (everyonehasaprice.co/questions) and 100+ pieces of out-of-home work in major North American markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Canada.
Publicis’ creative agency, BBH USA, ideated and developed the campaign with the goal of building off the cultural response to the original show. In the teaser film, BBH asked Americans how much it would take for them to abandon their morals, from leaving dog poop on the sidewalk to objecting their BFF’s wedding (leaving fans to wonder what the show’s contestants will do for the $4.56m grand prize).
“It's no surprise that dollar signs have an undeniable impact on our moral compass. But we felt compelled to really unpack the state of morality – and let me tell you, it's comically grim,” Erica Roberts, chief creative officer at BBH USA, told The Drum.
“The truth is, when cash is waving in our face, we're much more likely to agree to do something reprehensible, like give a tourist wrong directions or pee in a pool. If people are willing to drunk dial their bosses for a mere $1,000, you can only imagine the wild things that will go down for $4.56mn on Squid Game: The Challenge.”
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