Happy Friday!

It turns out, the antiquated 19th century drama of "The Gilded Age" was the perfect material to generate a 21st century social media campaign.

The show was already a ratings juggernaut, but the HBO Max team supercharged interest in Season 3 with a unique social media strategy that actively created "evangelists" for the show, while also building a sense of FOMO that had viewers loyally tuning in. 

It's a reminder that it often pays to look at something obvious and shift your perspective. Rather than just use social media as a medium to broadcast attention, HBO Max nurtured a space for its super fans to create content alongside the show. 

It sounds like a small difference, but it had a huge impact. "The Gilded Age" saw social conversation volume rise 185% from last season, while Instagram and Facebook accounts surged by 188% — double the growth from Season 1 to Season 2. 

It's something to think about as you log off for the weekend.

Roger Cheng
Managing Editor of Business and PRO
roger.cheng@thewrap.com

PS: We continue to offer a free 2-week trial of WrapPRO. If you’ve been wanting to check out our full coverage, now’s the time. Feel free to forward the news.

"THE GILDED AGE" RIDES A SMART SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ

"The Gilded Age" Season 3 finale shot to a new ratings high, and our own Loree Seitz got the details of how HBO Max did it in an exclusive interview with Mark Doumet, vice president of originals marketing.

Doumet talked about getting away from the typical social media posts of blasting updates and said the team focused on giving the "natural evangelists" the "tools to spread their passion online." That included turning big moments from each episode into gifs and memes to be quickly shared, and amplifying fans and creators whenever possible. Key creators were also invited to meet-up events through the season's run.

The result was the finale racking up 5 million multiplatform viewers, up 88% from the season premiere. Read on for more of his insights. 

DON'T MISS

Big brands are no longer content with mere product placement in films and shows. Companies such as Starbucks, Red Bull, REI and, just last week, Dick's Sporting Goods are starting up their own studios and working with production houses like Pulse Film to ensure they have creative say in the projects that promote their products. It's the latest indication of the blurring lines between commerce and entertainment. 

CATCH UP

Angelic Touch: Drew Taylor on how Angel Studios rescued festival darling "Sketch" and gave it a big summertime release

Director Focus: Taylor also talked to Timo Tjahjanto, the Indonesian director of "Nobody 2," about mixing his homegrown filmmaking sensitivities with the Hollywood franchise machine

No Show: Tom Cruise turns down Trump's 2025 Kennedy Center Honors due to a "scheduling conflict"

Lone Star: Taylor Sheridan and Paramount have established a 450,000-square-foot production hub in Forth Worth, Texas

BIZ CORNER

Anna Faris and Regina Hall are returning for "Scary Movie" reboot

Disney greenlights "Coven Academy" from the creator of "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" 

Kristen Wiig will voice Roboto in Amazon and Mattel's "Masters of the Universe" movie

DATA POINT

"King of the Hill" generated $100 million in streaming revenue for Hulu over the last five years, according to Parrot Analytics' Streaming Economics data, which explains why it got a revival

IN OTHER NEWS...

A look at "Cheapfake" AI celebrity videos rage-baiting people on YouTube (Wired)

Axios scores a wide-ranging interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who talks about AI infrastructure investment, Chrome, GPT-5 and more (Axios)

An in-depth look at MeidasTouch, an anti-Trump podcast that's rivaling Joe Rogan (NPR)

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This report provides a high-level analysis of daily developments within the entertainment sector. It compiles crucial data points and insights from industry leaders, highlighting key trends and shifts in business strategies.