Objective

Onyx Collective’s sexy and gripping legal drama “Reasonable Doubt” follows Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a corporate defense lawyer navigating challenging high-profile cases.

Season 2 picks up where the first left off, with Jax trying to heal from her wounds from last season’s arduous trial and deadly affair, and attempting to get her life back on track. That is until one of her closest friends reveals that she has killed her husband. Her friend is claiming self-defense, but an uncompromising prosecutor thinks otherwise. Needing all the help she can get, Jax brings in an ambitious defense attorney to lead the case, but things get tense very quickly. Can Jax defend her friend, save her marriage, and protect her energy while being catapulted into the biggest case of her career? Or will she lose it all?

“Reasonable Doubt” is Onyx Collective’s first scripted drama series. The show is groundbreaking for its all-black writer's room and directors - a cast and crew with a commitment to authentic representation and camaraderie that allows diverse voices to shine on screen.

Leading up to “Reasonable Doubt”’s season 2 premiere on Hulu, Onyx Collective’s objective was threefold:

• To reignite the show’s devoted fan base and make the fans feel fabulous by tapping into their inner Jax. 
• Bring the courtroom to life via an immersive experience that brings legal theatrics center stage.
• Highlight and prop up Black excellence through every touchpoint.

Strategy

The courtroom is full of drama and in celebration of “Reasonable Doubt,” Atlanta-based fans and other VIP guests were invited to a one-of-its-kind experience and advanced screening of the season 2 premiere.

Onyx Collective tapped 1iota, one of the industry’s top ticketing platforms, to help raise awareness and garner sign-ups for three different screenings and experiences. Fans of the show, cultural tastemakers, and VIPs received targeted ads on top social media sites with event details that notified them “you’ve been served” and invited them to RSVP to attend the special event.

As production moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta for season 2, it was crucial to find ways to thank the city for its hospitality. Onyx Collective did just that by taking over the Historic Dekalb Courthouse historic event space and completely transforming it into a one-of-a-kind screening and experience.

The activation included:

• Branded food and drinks, including passed hors d’oeuvres, donut and popcorn stations, and signature cocktails and mocktails.
• A security “fit check” where guests received compliments on their choice of clothing and style.
• A staged evidence room where participants played a game acting as a legal team, solving clues to prove that their client acted in self-defense. 
• Two photo ops: 1.) a step and repeat and 2.) A set where attendees could recreate the “Reasonable Doubt” season 2 key art.
• Custom portraits by a courtroom sketch artist.
• As part of Onyx Collective’s brand partnerships with Scotch Porter (men’s beard, skin, and hair products) and The Lip Bar (cosmetics), Onyx Collective featured products at the Fit Check station and via a custom vending machine where consumers could unlock an opportunity to earn a free product by scanning a QR code and share their favorite “Reasonable Doubt” character.
• An advanced screening, a live chat with series creator Raamla Mohamed, and stars Emayatzy Corinealdi, McKinley Freeman, Tim Jo, and Angela Grovey.
• Attendees received a branded tote bag filled with gourmet popcorn from the local business The Popcorn Box in Atlanta, a Disney+ gift card, and a T-shirt.

Results

Justice was served and the “Reasonable Doubt” season 2 premiere event was a massive success.

With an average screening attendance of 86%, Onyx Collective found great success with consumer turnout in the market.

• Total reach of the 1iota screening page in Atlanta: 102k across all 1iota channels (including paid.)
• 5,400 total engagements for the event across all 1iota channels (including paid.)
• More than 2,600 fans requested tickets to the experience.
• 90% of all ticket requests came from Georgia.
• More than 460 fans attended the three screenings.
• The audience skewed heavily female (87%) and half the audience was between the ages of 18-35.

On site reception was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees waited in line for more than an hour before the doors opened to ensure they would get in – and that’s even in the Atlanta heat!

There was steady foot traffic throughout the activation, but the courtroom sketches and vending machines were the biggest draws, with consumers willing to stand in long lines to receive their complimentary The Lip Bar and Scotch Porter products and free sketch.

“Reasonable Doubt” season 2 generated a lot of buzz and doubled expectations in terms of the number of new people it attracted to the Hulu streaming platform. The series continues to super-serve black audiences, and Reasonable Doubt was Hulu’s #1 series among Black Viewers in 2024.

Media