BETC Paris and CANAL+ introduce “Versailles for Kids”, an exclusive collection of toys, made in France, aimed at distracting children during the 52 minutes of each episode of Versailles, the French blockbuster drama series.
In 2015, the French entertainment channel CANAL+ launched Versailles, a blockbuster series that traces the reign of Louis XIV, the raunchy and unpredictable King of France. The TV show (starring George Blagden and shot in English) made headlines last year when it premiered around the world (BBC 2, Ovation…).
One article from Antonia Fraser in The Guardian stated that Versailles, the series, "begins with sex and ends with sex and in between you have royalty, mistresses, intrigue, illegitimate children, gay sex, happy marriages of state and unhappy marriages of state, all centring round this extraordinary man, Louis XIV, the Sun King, who ascended the throne when he was four years of age in 1643 and ruled for the next 72 years until his death in 1715."
Millions of people were glued to their TV screens for each new episode, but critics judged numerous scenes shocking and unsuitable for prime-time viewing. And if adults were shocked by such scenes, you can only imagine the reaction of children who could have been around.
For the launch of season 2, which was promised to be even steamier, Canal + had to do something to distract children’s attention from the sex scenes. That's why advertising agency, BETC Paris, created "Versailles for Kids", a collection of toys and a mobile app meant to keep children from viewing explicit content. Each game is conceived to be played during 52 minutes, the run time of an episode of Versailles.
Each week, when a new episode of the series was released, a new “Versailles for kids” toy was to be won.
Kids were able to play into the universe of Versailles with a Royal gardening kit, a magic box, a king’s costume, a castle construction set, etc.
The graphic design and the packaging of the toys was kept very playful and childish.
On March 21st, at the launch of the first episode of Season 2, an Android and iOs mobile “Versailles for kids: the game” mobile app was made available on the app stores.
So far, over nine million people have been reached with a 50% engagement with the brand. The “Versailles for kids” operation generated six million media impression in France and more than 4,000 toys have been won.
Thanks to “Versailles for Kids”, the King can keep on being his usual decadent self away from children’s eyes.
