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Vol. 89: Peacock: Making noise 🦚
How Peacock generated triple digit improvement in cross-platform organic engagement
Case Studied
August 05, 2025
Distinct and differentiated
Standing out in the streaming services landscape seems almost as difficult as trying to pick something to watch on said streaming platforms.
We’ve seen brands do this by way of producing or buying the rights to certain series. HBO Max has White Lotus and Euphoria. Netflix has Stranger Things and Squid Game. Disney+ has the full gamut of Star Wars and Marvel content. But beyond those big name titles, how can streaming services stand out among the crowd?
Back in 2023, Peacock demonstrated how a younger, lesser known platform can make itself known.
This week, Case Studied explores how Peacock generated triple digit improvement in cross-platform organic engagement.
The Brief:
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform launched in 2020, had built a diverse content mix—including originals, live sports, and next-day NBC shows. But it was struggling to stand out among well-established competitors. So they took their marketing strategy beyond just programming.
Peacock sought to reintroduce itself by leaning into its social media presence and brand voice. In their Shorty Award award submission (spoiler: they won gold in Brand Voice), they wrote, “Our ultimate objective was to show up so consistently and unmistakably ourselves that fans and competitors alike couldn’t help but notice.”
The Execution:
This reintroduction campaign, entitled “Yes peacocks make sound”, was a social-first overhaul led by the streaming services’ in‑house teams.
Peacock started by getting their copywriters and community managers on the same page about the brand voice to ensure consistency across all platforms. Then, with the goal of sounding more conversational and less corporate, they made the decision to shift their communication from third person “we” to first person “I.”
In tandem with those shifts, Peacock defined how their brand persona could be consistent, while still being flexible enough to make stylistic and tone shifts across different platforms. They began using social analytics and listening tools on a regular basis to monitor and identify opportunities to respond to moments on social media. And importantly, they established firm brand guardrails for assessing whether it makes sense to jump in from a business perspective.
This strategy showed up most notably when HBO Max announced that it was changing its name to “Max.” Peacock went viral for its pop culture newsjacking post on X that read, “I know you’re all very disappointed, but I will not be dropping the first hald of my name anytime soon 👀”
The Results:
Peacock saw a +264% improvement in its cross-platform organic engagement YoY, growing from 27.5 million to 100 million, with 81% coming from TikTok and Instagram.
Their viral “name change” post alone earned 5 million organic impressions, 121.2k organic engagements, earned media coverage, and multiple calls from news outlets asking if they’d been hacked.
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The Takeaways
1. Harmonize your brand tone.
Peacock created one cohesive brand voice by consolidating writing and social teams. This alignment ensured consistency across every touchpoint, from TikTok captions to audience engagement. In doing so, users felt like they were hearing from one singular personality.
Gather your communicators—copywriters, social media managers, etc.—and align them on shared rules, syntax style, and persona traits. Invest time in documenting your voice and tone guide, but also revisit it regularly as your audience and culture shift. Consider recurring voice check-ins across departments to keep alignment strong.
2. Instead of templating, be platform-smart.
Peacock maintained its brand identity while still tailoring content to the nuances of each platform. That meant letting TikTok, Instagram, and X posts have their own unique quirks that internal teams knew how to adhere to. They essentially treated each channel like a unique stage for the same performer.
Consider building playbooks for each channel your brand shows up on. Get specific about how your brand shows up visually and verbally on each one, and regularly audit your posts to ensure they’re native to the feed they’re in. When your tone aligns with platform context, your content stands a better chance of earning engagement.
3. Listen hard and react smart.
Peacock’s voice was very acutely tuned into the cultural conversation. Their team used social listening tools and had a clear process for determining which trends to act on. That responsiveness allowed them to respond to key moments without coming across as forced or opportunistic.
Don’t just monitor mentions of your brand. Watch the broader culture surrounding your category, competitors, and audience behaviors. Define criteria in advance for when to engage (and when to hold back), so your reactions feel intentional. With strong guardrails in place, your brand can move quickly and strategically.