For your consideration: The award campaigns going beyond the billboard
Amazon is wasting no time in kicking off its Emmy Awards campaign to try and cinch some wins for Amy Sherman-Palladino’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and let’s just the company is taking a rather creative approach with its promotional methods. As well as featuring the usual “for your consideration” billboards across Los Angeles, the campaign will also feature an innovative postcard mailer where Susie (Alex Borstein) suggests you call a stated number for more information about her new client who “makes Lenny Bruce . . . blush.” Upon dialing the number, callers will have the opportunity to speak with an actual person portraying a character from Susie’s Gaslight comedy club. The character will indulge the caller with conversations about Midge (Golden Globe winner Rachel Brosnahan) before forwarding them on to hear a clip from one of her featured stand-up routines from the show. If the center isn’t staffed at that time, callers will be greeted with a pre-recorded message giving them the impression Susie is there but is far too busy to speak with them, while texting a 212 number will result in another pre-recorded message about Midge. All in all, it sounds like Amazon is being wonderfully playful with its most fun show, which could pay off in what has become a notoriously competitive campaign. In the past twenty years or so, there have been some weird, wonderful, and inventive “for your consideration” campaigns released by showrunners, directors, movie studios, and networks for the promotion of their various projects. Here are eleven of the most memorable.
David Lynch, Inland Empire (2006)
David Lynch once sat on a corner of Hollywood Boulevard next to a cow and a poster of Laura Dern. The eccentric filmmaker staged the stunt to push Dern’s performance in Inland Empire for Oscar attention. One of the posters carried the line “Without cheese there wouldn’t be an Inland Empire.” The image still circulates as the benchmark for off-kilter awards-season theater.
Music video & live show, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2017)
Rachel Bloom released a music video that claimed she “doesn’t care about award shows” while she campaigned for one. The cast skipped the standard FYC panel and performed live instead. The performance went viral, and the show later announced an eight-day tour built on the same energy.
Frank Underwood’s presidential campaign, House of Cards (2016)
Netflix sent “Underwood supporters” to 52 Los Angeles locations during the California primaries. The group carried banners and wore pins that read “Underwood 2016.” The stunt folded real-world election logistics into an Emmy push.
James Franco, Spring Breakers (2013)
A24 printed a poster of Franco’s character Alien clutching two Oscars. The caption read “Consider this shit.” The image matched the film’s neon sleaze and stayed in circulation long after the awards cycle ended.
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool (2017)
After surprise Golden Globes and guild nominations, Deadpool leaned into the absurdity of awards campaigns. The resulting video mocked every solemn “for your consideration” tradition. Deadpool’s irreverent approach remains a benchmark for breaking campaign conventions.
Amazon installation space (2017)
Amazon took over the Hollywood Athletic Club for an immersive Emmy event. Voters could play cards in a Sneaky Pete room, relax in an I Love Dick bedroom set, or order drinks at a Goliath bar. Modern campaigns blend installations with online components and mailers.
Netflix installation space (2017)
Netflix built interactive exhibits at the same venue where its FYC panels ran. Attendees lifted fridges like Luke Cage or rode bikes through a Hawkins recreation from Stranger Things. Netflix has sustained large-venue immersive experiences with talent interactions.
A24 parody video for Marty Supreme (2025)
A24 released an 18-minute parody of an internal marketing meeting to promote Marty Supreme. The video racked up more than 1.9 million views on the studio’s YouTube channel. It proved that internet-native comedy can still move voters who spend their days online.
Personalized and thematic FYC mailers (2020s)
Physical mailers have grown more elaborate. The Substance sent syringe pens that echoed the film’s central prop. Other packages arrive with branded hats, T-shirts, or contextually relevant objects. The trend reflects an ongoing arms race of voter packages that try to stand out on crowded desks.
Digital guestbooks and interactive web experiences
Physical events have given way to always-on digital tools. The White Lotus offered a digital guestbook where cast members shared favorite filming moments. Major streamers now run dedicated FYC sites that host screenings and downloadable materials. The format removes the time limits that once defined in-person stunts.
360-degree voter outreach strategies
Studios now layer billboards, panels, mailers, and viral clips into single coordinated pushes. Timothée Chalamet has used red-carpet transformations and targeted appearances to keep his name circulating. The approach addresses audience fragmentation and the sheer volume of titles competing for attention each season.
Campaigns have moved from single stunts to layered systems that meet voters where they already spend their time. The playful postcard from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel sits alongside digital guestbooks, parody videos, and custom objects that keep the same spirit alive. Voters still respond to wit and specificity, even when the delivery methods keep changing.
