CBS’s Comfy Blue Sofa Tour has been on the road this fall promoting a slate of programming, but the network’s hit action-drama, “Tracker,” warranted standalone events of its own. To hype season two of the series, CBS invited a group of influencers, as well as press and a few lucky fans, to “live like Colter Shaw” at overnight events hosted in Joshua Tree, CA (Oct. 2-3), and New York’s Catskill Mountains (Oct. 20-21).
It takes a lot of planning to produce an event that people can pop in and out of during the day, but hosting sleepovers, particularly in remote locations, requires another level of preparation. For lessons on activating overnight events, and a peek behind the scenes of CBS’s successful “Tracker” experiences, we asked Ariel Parker, evp-marketing at CBS, for her top takeaways. (Agency: CNC Agency)
A Venue Partner Suited to the Experience
CBS hosted both of its overnight events in partnership with AutoCamp, a hotel company that provides Airstream trailers for rent around popular recreational areas and national parks. Parker says the AutoCamp locations were well-suited to creating an authentic “Tracker” environment (the series follows a lone-wolf survivalist who tours the country in an Airstream and solves mysteries with his tracking skills), from the secluded, picturesque settings to the branded campers that attendees spent the night in.
“Once we saw the visuals, it was like, that’s so ‘Tracker.’ You could just visualize Colter himself pulling his truck and his Airstream right up there,” she says.
Securing Commitment from the Right Attendees
The influencers who attended CBS’s sleepovers were handpicked by the brand to ensure their interest in the experience was genuine and that they were prepared to make a big time commitment.
“The influencers allowed us to reach audiences that we maybe don’t reach through our core channels, and then obviously their channels help us spread the word of mouth,” says Parker. “But we also really focused on an authentic, curated list of influencers that have a connection to the show. So either they are fans themselves, they have an entertainment lens or they’re outdoor enthusiasts. We handpicked [attendees] in that regard to make sure that it was a really genuine experience.”
End-to-End Programming
The key to the success of CBS’s sleepover events was the programming. The network spent ample energy on preparing an agenda that kept attendees engaged and fulfilled for the duration of the experience—not just a few hours. And, as Parker points out, the content creators (and a handful of sweepstakes winners at each event) were all strangers to one another, so it was paramount that no one felt detached.
Each “Tracker” experience was in motion from the moment attendees stepped onto the bus that took them from the city to the AutoCamp. The first season of the show was aired throughout the trip to the venue. Once on-site, the influencers were greeted with refreshments, their itinerary and welcome gifts, including a pillow in the shape of Colter’s (actor Justin Hartley’s) face.
Attendees could then participate in a tracking activity during which they had to hunt down 8-foot by 8-foot letter installations, which doubled as photo moments, that spelled out the show’s name. For dinner, they were treated to an upscale pizza buffet and drinks under twinkling lights. Then, it was on to an exclusive season-two screening that the audience enjoyed outdoors on “Comfy Blue Sofas” while munching on popcorn and candy. Following the screening, influencers could join a stargazing activity or sit by a campfire and make s’mores.
“It was having the timeline of events and everything planned out and making sure that it was fulfilling the whole time,” Parker says. “Filling up the time, logistically, took some effort to make sure that we had authentic and engaging activities throughout… We also wanted to make sure that they didn’t feel alone out there. There were their activities to keep them busy so that they didn’t feel isolated.”
A Fond Farewell
Rather than sending attendees on their way as soon as day breaks, it’s a good idea to have an activity or two planned for the morning. CBS not only delivered a breakfast buffet the morning after its “Tracker” events, but also hosted a group yoga session.
“We wanted to make it a full experience and not feel like, ‘OK, check out, we’re done.’ The whole event was end-to-end curated for our attendees,” says Parker. “We wanted to make it a worthwhile experience for the attendees because it was a long trek, and a big time commitment to get there.”
Ultimately, Parker says both overnight events were a triumph, particularly from the audience’s perspective.
“There was a lot of camaraderie and a lot of positivity,” she says. “Everyone was so excited to be there, and the screening was fun for people. It almost became like a [summer] camp experience.”
Photos: Courtesy of CNC Agency
