Like it or loathe it, you have to say that the Eastenders marketing team have done a pretty darn good job. It was announced last February that Lucy would be killed at Easter and the viewers would have to wait for a year to find out who killed her. Surely they couldn’t stretch it out for that long? But it has been a slow and steady burn since then. I’m not even sure that Lucy Beale was a particularly favoured character, but clever plot lines and story development left the motive and profile of the killer wide open, leaving the shortlist of suspects, well, anything but short!
As a non-watcher, I have to hold my hands up and say that even I was intrigued and felt the compulsion to tune in. It is intelligent marketing and I congratulate them. It’s everywhere! On the news, on the radio, social media and not to mention on everyone’s lips! The writers know their audience and have targeted them right where they needed to. They have involved such an array of characters, some loved, some hated, some you love to hate and others you hate to love, but it appealed to every kind of fan out there and even the non-fans, like me – I hate to say it, but I want to know!
The climax of the story has been played out in a week of episodes performed live. A tough gig for any actor, but surely even more so with the amount of tension (not to mention the viewing figures) going through the roof! Fans from all over the world scrutinising every line that is spoken and working out where it fits into the plot. During this week, the team have also been clever to jump on any lines that appear to have been ‘fluffed’ during these live episodes, twisting them into more complex theories, leaving the viewers none the wiser.
All this is to celebrate the Soap’s 30th anniversary and they have certainly pushed the boat out. Bringing back favourite characters from the past, media and social media teasers and celebrity endorsers getting in on the guessing game. It has been a huge campaign and judging from the buzz that they have created and the viewing figures facts and stats it has been an enormous success. Good on them.
I guess the only thing that is left to say is……….duff duff duff dufduf d d d duff