Each season, the Queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race compete their way to the finale Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown. Because this is filmed outside of the main show, and not taped live, multiple endings are captured to leave the Queens and any audience members in suspense of who will snatch the crown.
To capitalize on this moment, we film the Top 4 Queens watching and reacting to the finale together as it airs live, ultimately capturing the genuine reaction of the winning Queen as she discovers in real time with her peers that she is America’s Next Drag Superstar.
Tactics: The package is then rush-edited overnight for our social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube), so fans can enjoy as soon as possible. For a more immediate interaction, we added a live unedited message to fans from the winner on the @rupaulsdragrace Instagram account as well as organic TikToks of the Queens celebrating the night of.
Execution: This year, we gathered Symone, Kandy Muse, Gottmik, and Rosé to give commentary on their fashion, interviews, and lip syncs culminating in Symone discovering she snatched the crown! Fans then got to enjoy the genuine reaction immediately on Instagram and TikTok, and then the final commentary package across platforms the following morning to see Symone and her fellow Queens celebrate her win and the end of a fantastic season
Evaluation of Success: This year’s Queens Commentary was a great success having multiples beats that culminated into a full experience for fans. With over 3million views across platforms, a bonus package of Queens reacting to the fashion, and a live message to fans from the winning queen, we delivered a truly unique moment for the fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race allowing them to feel the excitement of the culmination of Season 13 in real time.
