Narcos - Netflix The Censor’s Cut
Netflix
Issue 53 | January 2020
Agency
JWT Bangkok
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer: Joao Braga Executive Creative Director: Park Wannasiri Creative Director: Jiradej Penglengpol Art Director: Natthaphol Hirunlikid Copy writer: Veerawin Suksantinunt
Production Team
Production Director: Jiroj Mechoojit Senior Broadcast Producer: Jutamas Juntasorn Post Production: This Is It Co., Ltd. Editor: Anutra Tepakom Post Producer: Woott Wimalee Flame Artist: Itsara Unnawasakul Sound Studio: Cinesound Co., Ltd. Sound Engineer: Sakchai Kangwanprasert Assistant Sound Engineer: Wancahi Sinprajugkul
Other Credits
Director of Planning: Prachawan Ketavan Associate Planning Director: Sakila Banyen Communication Planner: Siwakorn Seetaraso Managing Partner: Supannapa Traitonwong Client Service Director: Kunakorn Pramoolsukh Account Manager: Prewprae Tirabulkul Business Group Director: Saruttaya Mahanavarani Influencer Relations Supervisor: Pattira Uttaranakorn Media: Dentsu X Pte Ltd. Head of Business: Jessica Beaton Account Director: Jaspreet Kaur Media Director: Keng Kheng Koh Media Manager: Stella Tai Client Services Manager: Robin Rose Pulongbarit
Date
May 2019
Background
Netflix promoted a sex-and-violence-filled show in Thailand by complying with the letter of the country’s strict censorship laws, but not their spirit. The streaming company wanted to advertise Narcos Mexico in Thailand with a trailer that gave viewers a taste of the drug taking, sex and violence that featured heavily in the show. But an independent censorship consultant told Netflix that to comply with Thailand’s overzealous censorship laws, the company would have to cut anything risqué from its outdoor ads.
Idea
Instead of removing the scenes entirely from the trailer, Netflix just cut around the offending images within each scene, leaving a clear enough outline that anyone could still identify what had been removed. In instances where media owners refused to run even the redacted trailers, Netflix just filled the space with Photoshop’s instantly recognizable background and the message that ‘this ad was cut out due to inappropriate content’.
Results
Campaign achieved 93 million impressions and reached 34 million people, which is almost half of Thailand’s population.