Twenty-one years of medical drama, cast changes, and career launchpads haven't slowed the cultural phenomenon of "Grey's Anatomy." ABC's scripted juggernaut has continually reinvented itself while continuing to pull in more and more viewers every year.
ABC's objective was to ring in the new series, while also celebrating twenty-one years of the landmark series. The network looked to create a campaign that would excite fans who've been with the show all along while showing new viewers what they've been missing, and how they can join the phenomenon of "Grey's Anatomy" right now.
ABC's "21 Days of Grey's Anatomy" campaign highlighted some of the best, funniest, and most "Grey's" moments of "Grey's Anatomy." ABC dug deep into the history of the series to find iconic recurring lines, often-quoted in-jokes, and fan-favorite scenes to build out the campaign with laugh-after-laugh clips.
The campaign used 21-second social videos that each focused on a key element of the show—from great scenes of elevator conversations and bar chats, to the best of Bailey's wisdom, to some of the sexiest flirtations. Each of the videos was a reel of major moments fans would remember fondly, filling the campaign with moments fans couldn't wait to share online.
ABC delivered a fun celebration for long-time fans of "Grey's Anatomy," while exploring the humor and light-hearted elements of the dramatic setting and piquing the curiosity of newcomers by showing them 21 years of great moments. The theme and specifics of each video are a testament to ABC's team being as passionate about this series as viewers are, and how it can use its deep familiarity with "Grey's Anatomy" to a series of fun and memorable video tributes.
Using tight editing and phenomenal comedic timing, the social videos emulate the feel of the show itself, ensuring that each joke packs the same punch as it did when it first aired—making the social videos not only a fun trip down memory lane but hilarious, as well.
The "21 Days of Grey's" campaign helped the 2024 season of "Grey's Anatomy" debut with 3.6 million viewers, which is an increase from the previous season's 3.3 million. "Grey's Anatomy" is also a streaming hit, with 3.2 billion hours streamed across platforms. This series of videos garnered 36M impressions and had an average engagement rate of 5%, which is more than twice the benchmark.