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'First Day' Web Series
Published: November 29, 2010
--> In "First Day," Cassie Mitchell can't get it right. She's a new student starting high school, and in a "Groundhog Day"-esque twist, she has to keep repeating her first day at school over and over again. "Each day," per the comedic web series' synopsis, "she is able to experiment with her look, as she learns about herself as a person and tries to win over her new crush." As it happens, the entire series -- an eight-episode arc of four- to six-minute shows -- is "Styled by Kmart."
It could be cheesy, but instead it's incredibly winning (and as smartly produced as anything you'd see on Nick or Disney Channel). And given that the fashion-as-self-expression angle is integral to the plot, the Kmart branding -- and the "Featured Products" sidebar -- feels servicey, not overbearing. It's like reading Lucky magazine if Lucky had a plot.
Produced by Alloy (the company known for its "Gossip Girl" and "Pretty Little Liars" book series) and distributed through the massive Alloy Digital Network, "First Day" drew a remarkable 8 million episode views by the time the series was over -- at which point, thank God, the calendar finally advanced for sweet Carrie.
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We're very excited to share the news: Alloy has won a Media Vanguard award from Ad Age for our branded entertainment show First Day. Congrats to the team and please check it out for yourself at http://firstdaytheseries.com
