Objective

The MTV VMAs are the biggest party of the year – filled with unpredictable moments and show stopping performances, with all-access for fans. The VMAs are on every platform and every device, reaching audiences worldwide.

This year, we strove to:

• Extend the marketing campaign with platform-intentional creative

• Own the social conversation (via Nielsen Social Content Ratings)

• Maintain performance in digital Total Minutes Consumed

Strategy

LEAD UP - AWARENESS & EXCITEMENT:

• Fans voted for their favorite artists to win a Moon Person on MTV.com:

  • Double Days and Power Hours that rewarded fans with double the votes

  • Custom assets provided to nominees for promotion on their accounts. In total, our nominees including Taylor Swift and Megan Thee Stallion shared over 500 supportive posts pushing their fans to vote

• A 24-hour YouTube livestream celebrated VMA-nominated videos

• Week of show, we launched three additional categories voted on @MTV’s Instagram Stories: Group of the Year (via bracket-style), Song of Summer & Album of the Year (via link-out)

• Amplified talent Announcements:

  • Custom assets provided to all artists for personal accounts, with performers including BLACKPINK and Panic! At The Disco sharing over 30 posts reminding their fans to tune in

  • Cross-platform support amplification across MTV, VMAs and MTV News, including IG collabs with artists like Anitta

  • Nicki fans could unlock secret hashtags and see their tweets featured on massive billboards across the country

• Launched “The VMA Experience” on Roblox, an innovative partnership which included:

  • In-game voting for Best Metaverse Performance

  • Three music video-themed minigames

  • Red carpet step & repeat

  • MTV swag for Roblox avatars

  • An exclusive Virtual Meet & Greet with VMA performer Måneskin in the metaverse

• #PartyWithVMAs on TikTok, a hashtag challenge encouraging users to incorporate an AR filter of a dancing Moonperson into their videos

• Custom Video

  • Resurfaced VMA archive moments to spark fan nostalgia & build show awareness

  • 9 brand-new episodes of VMAnimation, reimagining iconic show performances including Britney Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U” and Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj’s “Side to Side”

  • Footage Based Editorial Compilations using MTVE IP including Wild N Out, Ridiculousness, RuPaul’s Drag Race and many more

  • Amplification of “Fan Nation” special content celebrating Nicki Minaj and her Barbz

• Rehearsal coverage featuring MTV News interviews, backstage artist portraits and exclusive sneak peeks

SHOW TIME! Coverage on EVERY Platform:

• We kicked off the night with a Red Carpet Pre-Show full of interviews, performances, and fashion and streamed live on MTV’s Twitter and YouTube

• RuPaul’s Drag Race queens Monét X Change & Peppermint provided fashion commentary on a livestream broadcast across all platforms

• Full multiplatform coverage from Red Carpet, Backstage and in the house across all platforms from VMAs, MTV, MTV News and supporting MTVE accounts

• Fans voted live across MTV.com and Twitter (via Hashtag) to award a Moon Person to their fave Best New Artist (sponsored by Extra)

• VMA Stan Cam polled fans on Twitter to show them exclusive behind-the-scenes footage

• #VMAStanMail returned to celebrate global music fandoms with real-time tweet translations from fans around the world (in partnership with Twitter)

• Three Snapchat Highlight Shows launched over the course of VMA weekend

• Full show moments were clipped and distributed in real-time across YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok

• Exclusive backstage moments captured by Amber Astley

• Partnered with Giphy to live GIF the show

• After the show, MTV News recapped with a VMA Post Show live on Twitter

• Sponsored episodes of 22 Questions

Results

Our multi-platform strategy drove record-breaking results!

• Best Total Minutes Consumed ever (157M, +79% YoY) in VMAs history!

• Best Social Views and Interactions in Nielsen's aSocial Content Ratings (SCR) in VMAs history!

• #1 Most Social Telecast of 2022 in SCR

• Trended #1 on Twitter Worldwide in the US and 29 other countries

• Trended #1 on YouTube with BLACKPINK’s VMAs performance

• Most Social Views & Engagements Ever (Views +14% YoY & engagements +15% YoY across MTVE)

Biggest total vote count in VMA history (+10% YoY)

Media