The Marketing to Save Warrior Nun
OCS Newsletter Full Interview with Cohosh
COHOSH (@CohoshThe) - a member of the marketing team, assembled the first marketing review. The 41-page review covered the first four weeks following the season 2 release of Warrior Nun. Cohosh is a chicken owner and a faithful member of the OFV (Order of Father Vincent) fan club. We sat down to discuss how she got here, why she decided to stay, and the part she plays on the press releases.
OCS: How did you end up in the Warrior Nun fandom?
Cohosh: In August of 2020 I started watching season 1 after letting it sit in my "list" for a couple weeks. I enjoyed the blend of humor, faith, and empowered female leads. Especially faith. Back then I didn’t think Netflix would renew it. Then season two released; no premiere and no promotion beside the trailer. And yet, the fans exploded onto social media and began fighting for renewal. By the Monday after the release, I found myself sharing memes with the cast and crew and that was it.
OCS: What made you go from being a regular fan to fighting to save show?
Cohosh: Season Two’s success is a direct result of the fan’s, cast’s and crew’s hard work. I just wanted to see the fandom's love of this show recognized. I tend to barge into places I don't really belong, make a gift, pass it along, and hope someone receives some joy in exchange. I live in the corners of larger sandboxes.
OCS: This fight is complex and demanding, what makes you want to keep fighting for the show?
Cohosh: I have a couple reasons, one that is very personal, but the other is simple. Art recognizes art. The work that the cast and crew have accomplished deserves to be properly promoted and recognized. And then there’s the fans: Warrior Nun France's team's translation of the 800 year old sword, the fan art, the bike ride in Chile, the watch parties in the Philippines. The work everyone has done to show love and admiration for this series is motivating. How often do we get to see our single thread shine in a grand tapestry?
OCS: What do you want to see on season three?
Cohosh: If I could ask for one thing, I would hope that the faith component of the series continues. I grew up in the church and was constantly told my questions were not valued. "We don't talk about that." Why the hell not? I am still deeply devout, but to see these characters working out what their faith is, or is not, is incredible to me. It's not some Kirk Cameron sappy movie (no offense), it's not evangelical like The Chosen, and it's not a convoluted eschatological study of Enochic literature. It's genuine. It's raw. It's real. From Vincent to Camila to Beatrice… Every character has a story to tell that has a component of questioning. They learn to think for themselves.
OCS: Back to marketing, since your initial marketing review, how have things evolved?
Cohosh: The last ten weeks have been a marketing observer's dream. I have never seen anything like this before, and I grew up during the Harry Potter and Obama era. Or maybe, this is the next evolution in marketing? What stays for me is that no advertising agency can replicate in real-time what the fans have accomplished. This is groundbreaking.
OCS: You’re the face of The Order’s marketing team, what’s currently brewing there?
Cohosh: The Order (and the other discords) have done outstanding work and I am incredibly honored to observe their work. Everyone has a project or six they are working on. And we are tracking that to release at the very end. Marketing is simply taking the data and the projects and presenting the story to create awareness.
OCS: What’s next from the marketing perspective for the campaign?
Cohosh: The next step is to continue to show the fandom is growing and we are not going away. There is a natural evolution in fandoms. Public facing becomes community focused. A movement is vocal first, then organizes, and finally communities form. There is still a lot of work to be done, regular watch parties are being established, direct promotion to agencies is coming, continued outreach with updates and milestones, and eventually the rally cry of celebration. All backed by data. And we are not fighting Goliath alone. Simon and the cast have shown that time and time again. One last note, you will likely see changes coming from Netflix and Twitter that will shift our tactics, but from the day of cancellation this has been an evolving campaign.