Category: Strategies

LWT’s educational strategy in creating props to achieve a main point is unmatched, as seen in the episode “Supreme Court,” where Oliver and crew hilariously recreate an audio transcript of a Supreme Court session, then give the entire footage to the world to make their own transcripts. Currently, a Google Advanced Search for “real animals fake paws” on Youtube yeilds nearly 1000 results, videos from LWT‘s footage:

Also, in the episode “Supreme Court,” Oliver demonstrates LWT’s pranking video clips, which often causes much audience participation after an episode airs. In this clip, Oliver demonstrates why it’s important to not inadvertently interview in front of a blue background. This simple prank demonstrates Oliver’s’ analogy in taking things out of context.

By using social media hashtags, LWT expands its episodes across multiple platforms and media outlets. One particular hashtag, #tuckercarlsonfuckshisroomba, has taken a life of its own on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/tuckercarlsonfuckshisroomba/

Hashtags are used by LWT to encourage audience participation far beyond the broadcast-only medium of the television show. Hashtags cause a much wider reach and are used to great effect while trolling.

Web sites are a perfect strategic medium to create an enduring topic. Sites can extend information or be used as a tool to collect data, provide enhanced audience interaction or even generate funds. Below are a few active LWT-created web sites, as listed on the official LWT site:

A more complete list of web sites can be found on the LWT reddit page here.

As the host, executive producer and writer of LWT, John Oliver is arguably the Troll King. He trolls his audience during his episodes and famously trolls his episodes’ targets, as seen here during the closing segment of “Coal.”

After that episode, Bob Murray did file a SLAPP suit (strategic lawsuit against public participation) with the intent to financially damage HBO with defamation of character charges. Oliver and LWT won that lawsuit, and consequently it did not work out well for Mr. Murray:

In my opinion, Oliver’s greatest troll was to write and produce a children’s book about former Vice President Pence’s pet bunny, Marlon Bundo. Pence’s family also wrote a children’s book about Bundo’s time at the White House. Knowing Pence’s aversion to the LGBTQ community, Oliver’s book is about Marlon Bundo falling in love and marrying another male bunny. Oliver’s book quickly sold out, and became #1 best seller on Amazon, outselling the Pence children’s book:

The “Supreme Court” episode yielded some amazing video footage for public consumption, and it was posted on Youtube for anyone’s use – hundreds of new Supreme Court videos were made (no audio track provided):