When the award-winning film Shaping Us launched in the US, UK, and Canada, it was met with recognition, applause, and even bagged an award. But as the Africa release date drew near, something was missing. Despite the film’s global success, the African audience wasn’t talking about it. The Instagram feed was filled with beautiful graphics, but the excitement wasn’t there.
And with only two weeks to go before the official launch, the pressure was on. The producers needed a strategy that would not only create awareness but also ignite genuine buzz across Africa. That’s when The Becky Joe Media stepped in.
Bringing Africa Into the Story
From the start, we understood that this wasn’t about pushing out more posts. Africa didn’t need to be “informed” about the movie; Africa needed to feel like part of its journey. Our job was to turn a quiet feed into a cultural moment; to make Shaping Us something people laughed about, shared with friends, and connected to emotionally.
Our Playbook in Action
We built our strategy around community, storytelling, and cultural touchpoints:
● We transformed the movie’s social pages into interactive spaces with daily stories, reposts, and genuine fan love.
● We activated key influencers across writing, lifestyle, and entertainment, giving them the freedom to tell the film’s story from their own perspective. Names like @divayetty,@theoamikerin, and @nons_miraj amplified the film’s message to millions.
● The cast became ambassadors, with tailored content helping them connect directly with their audiences in ways that felt authentic.
● We leaned into humor and relatability by pulling out the film’s funniest and most emotional scenes, repurposing them into viral memes that didn’t just entertain, they promoted.
● On Twitter, even without an official handle, we built momentum through quotes, memes, and reactions. The campaign trended #4 in Nigeria during launch week.
● Offline, we didn’t just stop at digital. Our team showed up at the premiere to capture live moments and connect with fans in real time.
The Results That Spoke Volumes
In just two weeks, we shifted the narrative from silence to conversation. The film’s Instagram views jumped from 8,726 to 35,552. Influencer partnerships extended reach to over 3 million people. Fans started sharing content, blogs picked up the story, and even the cast amplified the buzz. Most importantly, Africa no longer felt left out of the Shaping Us journey, they were at the heart of it.
More Than a Campaign, A Movement
This wasn’t just about launching a movie. It was about creating an emotional entry point for a continent that deserved to feel part of the global conversation. At The Becky Joe Media, we believe inbuilding movements, not just running campaigns. Shaping Us was proof of that.
