Talk about thinking outside the box by... putting people inside one! Apple TV+ just turned Grand Central Terminal into the world's most valuable fishbowl, and we've got the Earned Media Value receipts to prove it! The company once again demonstrated its knack for innovative marketing with a captivating stunt to promote the second season of its critically acclaimed show, Severance.
On January 14th and 15th, 2025, commuters passing through New York City's Grand Central Terminal were greeted by an unexpected sight: the show's stars, Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, and Patricia Arquette, seemingly trapped inside a glass-enclosed replica of the show's eerie Lumon Industries office.
The Numbers Don't Lie (They're Just Severed)
Let's break down that $5.27M number, shall we?
Using MediaWorth's comprehensive EMV methodology, we tracked how this activation dominated across platforms:
Instagram led with the highest total EMV across all post types: $3.2M EMV
TikTok organic content: $1.7M EMV
Twitter conversation surge: $210K EMV
That's right, while the "Severance" cast was pretending to crunch mysterious numbers in their glass cage, they were actually generating some very real ones for Apple TV+.
Location, Location, Lumon
By choosing Grand Central Terminal, Apple TV+ guaranteed a constant stream of commuters who, let's face it, probably related a little too hard to seeing office workers trapped in a glass box.
The irony was perfect.
Sharables
The $5.27M EMV emerged from a carefully orchestrated blend of elements:
High-impact shares from verified accounts amplified by Ben Stiller's strategic social engagement
Thousands of organic content pieces across platforms
Media outlet coverage that transformed local presence into global reach
Anatomy of a Marketing Coup
Each social channel carved its own narrative path, with distinct EMV signatures:
TikTok: Users captured and shared real-time interactions between actors and observers. Average EMV per TikTok: $196
Instagram: With an average $222 EMV per post, the visual disconnect between Lumon's sterile office environment and Grand Central's architectural grandeur created instantly shareable imagery.
X: At $97 in EMV per post, real-time commentary transformed individual observations into trending conversations, with one user noting: "Performance art for marketing. Television is so back."
Why It Worked
Story-First Approach: Instead of screaming "WATCH OUR SHOW!" they brought the show's core premise to life.
Multi-Platform Domination: Each social platform got its own unique narrative angle, creating a perfect storm of shareable content.
Organic Amplification: The sharing cascade effect turned every commuter with a phone into a content creator. It's like MLM, but make it content.
Lessons for Marketers (No Memory Wipe Required)
What made this campaign such an EMV powerhouse wasn't just star power or prime real estate – it was understanding how modern audiences consume and share content. The campaign brought its story into the real world, created moments worth capturing, and turned every commuter into a potential amplifier. Most importantly, it proved that sometimes the best way to get attention is to put your message in a glass box and let people watch it work.
The Bottom Line
Kudos to Apple TV+ for making corporate imprisonment look like a $5.27M flex. Next time someone tells you experiential marketing is dead, just whisper "time for your wellness check" and send them this case study.
MediaWorth is the industry leader in tracking and analyzing earned media value across social platforms. Our EMV calculations are based on comprehensive analysis of engagement types, platform-specific metrics, and organic reach amplification.