BBC Sounds:
Peaky Blinders Podcast
Project Snapshot:
Campaign: BBC Sounds podcast launch and ongoing content throughout series run
Audience: UK audience of under-35s, particularly young men, students, drama fans, and sports enthusiasts
Deliverables: 1 x 60-second launch film and 3 x supporting social clips
Platforms: Twitter, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and 6 Music
Results: 910K views within 72 hours
Recognition: The only campaign selected and shared by the official Peaky Blinders channels
Launching a companion podcast for one of Britain's biggest TV dramas required more than a standard social campaign. BBC Sounds approached Bearded Fellows with the brief to create a fresh, attention-grabbing social campaign that would give fans of the show a reason to tune in every week.
The Obsessed With… Peaky Blinders podcast was released alongside the final season of Peaky Blinders, supported by content across Twitter, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and 6 Music. We developed an overarching creative strategy that launched the series with a 60-second hero film before evolving into three supporting social edits, keeping audiences engaged throughout the show's ten-week run.
With new footage becoming available throughout the series run, Bearded Fellows worked to a 48-hour turnaround for ongoing social content. This required close coordination across BBC Sounds and Peaky Blinders content, while guaranteeing every piece met the necessary legal and licensing requirements.
The result was a responsive campaign that kept the podcast on the ball and the audience engaged throughout its run.
Premiering a Podcast for the Peaky Blinders Generation
The Creative Process
Our creative direction centred on comedy and behind-the-scenes storytelling. Breaking the fourth wall and adopting a cinéma vérité approach gave the films a conversational tone that reflected the podcast's personality. Strong insert-led openings helped the content grab immediate attention on busy social platforms.
With the campaign designed to feel authentic, location was an important part of the visual language. We found a local pub that provided the right setting and atmosphere for the films, creating a believable environment for the comedy to unfold. Darren Harriott and Lloyd Griffith brought the concept to life with their comic timing, making the performances feel natural on screen.
Production continued throughout the 10-week podcast run, with edits developed for multiple platforms and different spoiler requirements. As new Peaky Blinders episodes were released, our team worked closely with the BBC Sounds and wider production teams to adapt and deliver content at pace.
The result was an exciting, responsive campaign that stayed relevant throughout the series and maintained a clear creative identity across every piece of content.
Shelby Approved.
By combining comedy, documentary-style storytelling, and a tone that felt genuinely at home in the Peaky Blinders world, we created a launch campaign that fans wanted to watch, share and talk about.
The campaign went on to become one of BBC Sounds' most successful social campaigns in terms of viewership and engagement, reaching 910,000 views within its first three days.
It was the only campaign piece selected and shared by the official Peaky Blinders channels - a powerful endorsement of the creative's ability to capture the spirit of the show and deliver standout results for BBC Sounds.
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