The Riot Act – Our Monthly Newsletter

28 Feb 2020 -

A new month, a new Culture Secretary. Oliver Dowden becomes the ninth MP to occupy the post since 2010, replacing Nicky Morgan. He tweeted about the “huge opportunities” in the technology, media and creative industries, though shaping the nation’s viewing habits will no doubt be high up on his list as the results of the public consultation on the BBC license fee come in April….

In a month of award ceremonies, most notably the Oscars, the Baftas and the Brits, we tip our hats to Parasite – go see it if you haven’t already – and have been blasting out Celeste (Rising Star Award) and Dave’s Psychodrama (Best Album) on the Riot stereo. Read on for more cultural inspiration, not only from our awesome clients, but in our Riot Recommends at the end…

Here’s what else has been keeping us inspired (and busy!) this month….

Love is never black + white

The wait is almost over – the adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel Noughts and Crosses will air on BBC One on 5th March. We’ve been working with leading production company Mammoth Screen to help promote the show, including the first screening for influencers with members of the cast and crew and a public event at Waterstones next month with the Black Girls Book Club. With an epic soundtrack to boot, this is seminal TV.

Our final hour or our finest?

If you’re like us, you will have been feeling very conscious of our climate crisis, but lost as to what to do about it. This is why we are promoting The Future We Choose, a new book by Paris Agreement architects Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac. Unlike others, this was the first we’d read that actually gave us hope. Read more in this exclusive extract we placed with the ObserverWith endorsements from Leonardo DiCaprio, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jane Goodall, Yuval Noah Harari and Ellie Goulding to name a few, this is an urgent, compelling and uplifting read. Or follow the authors’ campaigning organisation @GlobalOptimism (where we’ve been hired to run the socials).

Baaa-rilliant news for Aardman

We helped Aardman announce not one but two exciting pieces of news for fans of Shaun the Sheep: the launch of series six on Netflix and a new half hour festive special coming to the BBC for Christmas 2021. The new series, arriving on March 17th, promises more mayhem on Mossy Bottom Farm, with the Flock undertaking a teddy bear heist and trying their hooves at a pizza delivery service, while the Farmer unknowingly becomes an internet sensation.  

News in Brief

Our campaign for Philip Pullman’s The Secret Commonwealth with Penguin Random House Children’s is a finalist in the annual Publishers’ Publicity Circle awards. We announced a 20th consecutive year of growth for the London Review of Books (who says print is dead?) and The Desmond Elliott Prize – now part of the National Centre for Writing’s Early Career Awards has announced its judging panel, with former winner Preti Taneja as Chair. And finally, we helped CILIP announce their longlists for the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals celebrating the best in children’s books.

Riot Recommends

History buffs rejoice as outstanding Outlander returns for season 5, while series 2 of The Split, penned by the brilliant Abi Morgan, has us gripped (not to mention the wardrobe tips!). The Yellow Wallpaper exhibition at the William Morris Gallery – a photographic response to the original gas-lighting novella of the same name – is also brilliant, using portraits of women from Dalston. And finally, Ian Wright’s Desert Island Discs is a moving reminder of the transformative influence one teacher can have on someone’s life.