Main success factors and key marketing strategies for successful television series such as 'Empire', 'Mr Robot', 'Daredevil' in the US market in 2015.

1. Marketing Analysis
December 2015
Breakout TV Series 2015

2. Mr Robot
• Format: 44-54 min x 10 | Genre:
Crime, Drama
• Created by: Sam Esmail
• Production: Universal Cable
Productions, Anonymous Content
• Original network: USA Network
• Distributor: NBCUniversal
Television Distribution
• Premiere: Jun 24, 2015 | 1.75M
viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 2

3. Mr Robot
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
If casting and character are half the battle,
“Mr. Robot” is more than halfway home.
(…) While commercial prospects appear
hazy, it’s hard to remember the last time
USA put on anything more intriguing.
Fun, fun, fun with the automaton.
3

4. Mr Robot
• Whatever was happening on ‘Mr. Robot’ was
happening in the news: the season finale had to
be delayed by a week because of an eerie
similarity to the real-life shootings of two
journalists on live TV in Roanoke, Va., on Aug 26
• USA Network’s marketing team decided to
market the series in a different way:
– A buzz-building campaign to get the pilot seen by
digital-influencer types:
• “When we found out Snowden was a fan we had our
social team welcome him to Twitter” – Chris
McCumber, President, USA Network during showcase
at New York ComicCon
– SXSW festival gave the pilot a screening slot on
March 17 — more than three months before its
June 24 linear premiere — and it wound up
taking the fest’s audience award for TV
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 4

5. Mr Robot
• What would Mr. Robot do? Elliot
would hack the system and get the
pilot out there…
• On May 27, USA took the
extraordinary step of making the
pilot available for free through cable
VOD and digital platforms spanning
iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook,
Xbox, Google Play, Yoand PlayStation
to IMBb.com, Twitch, Crave Online,
TheVerge.com and latina.com
• The show generated more than 3
million views in the pre-linear VOD
window
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 5

6. Mr Robot
• In live-plus-7, the show averaged
2.74 million viewers, including 1.35
million in adults 18-49 and 1.5
million in adults 25-54. That makes
“Mr. Robot” the No. 3 new scripted
cable series of the year to date,
behind AMC’s ‘Fear the Walking
Dead’ and ‘Better Call Saul’
• But the show in recent weeks is
generating about 700,000 VOD views
per week on authenticated VOD
platforms, for a total of more than 12
million to date (including the pre-
linear release window)
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 6

7. Mr Robot
• On digital, it delivered 7.6 million video
streams during its season run, higher than
any other USA series in its debut season, with
a higher engagement level than other USA
series (15 minutes of viewing on average
compared to six minutes)
– On Facebook, content associated with the
show has been seen by 57.5 million Facebook
users, per USA
• “Now we have to figure out ways to give the
viewers every opportunity to stay connected
with the show in every possible way they
want to interact with it” – Chris McCumber
– The sizzle for the show allowed USA to set a
rich streaming pact for the series with Amazon
that will kick in next spring as a lead-up to the
launch of season two
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 7

8. Agent Carter
• Format: 41-43 min x 8 | Genre:
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
• Based on: Marvel’s character
• Created by: Christopher Markus,
Stephen McFeely
• Production: ABC Studios, Marvel
Television, F&B Fazekas & Butters
• Original network: ABC
• Distributor: Disney-ABC Domestic
• Premiere: Jan 6, 2015 | 6.91M
viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 8

9. Agent Carter
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
(…) the combination of the British actress and post-World
War II setting make the Marvel-branded vehicle, “Agent
Carter,” considerable fun, and in some ways more promising
than the series it’s replacing, the uneven “Agents of SHIELD.”
While there’s no assurance this spinoff will have legs, the
opening salvo is worthy of a hearty “Hail, ‘Carter.’”
Marvel and ABC finally get it right with
this fun, entertaining period piece.
9

10. Agent Carter
• Short Promo video shown at San Diego Comic Con
• Two TV spots and a two-minute sneak peek two
months before release (November): tons of
action/adventure and a glimpse into the personality of
Peggy
• Goofy behind-the-scenes moments have been showed
on social media, gaining strong momentum
• Main success factor: one of the few fully realized
female characters on TV, with sexism being the real
villain
• Strongly targeted towards female audience
• A standalone, 8-episode story used by ABC as interlude
between seasons of ‘Agents of SHIELD’
• The series opened with solid ratings: 1.9 rating/6 share
in adults 18-49 and 6.7 million viewers overall
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 10

11. Jessica Jones
• Format: 46-55 min x 13 | Genre:
Action, Crime, Drama
• Based on: Marvel’s character
• Created by: Melissa Rosenberg
• Production: Marvel Television,
ABC Studios, Tall Girls
Productions
• Original network: Netflix
• Distributor: Netflix
• Premiere: Nov 20, 2015
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 11

12. Jessica Jones
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
Two mainstays of film noir are the tough-talking dame
and the cynical private eye, and one of the pleasures
of “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” is that it unites both types
in one thorny and fascinating character. (…) not just a
contender for the title Best Marvel-related TV
Property; in a supremely crowded TV scene, it is one of
the year’s most distinctive new dramas.
An enthralling superhero noir.
12

13. Jessica Jones
• Initial 55-second teaser that debuted in
September and which contained no
explicit footage
• Four 48-55 second clips for the show in
early October showing a mostly hidden
heroine doing somewhat mundane
things with a super-powered twist
• One more teaser in early October that
actually showed the lead heroine’s face
• No story details or plot reveals
• Daredevil - Jessica Jones crossover
revealed
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 13

14. Jessica Jones
• Clips are focused on establishing the somewhat
seedier “in a dark alleyway” atmosphere and
establishing the lead character as someone
worth our time
• Being a Marvel’s property, the marketing item
will get copious coverage and social media play
no matter what it is
• Then suddenly David Tennant's villain, Kilgrave is
revealed and shaped as a twisted urban legend
before introducing him fully in the flesh
• There is less incentive to make a giant spoiler-
filled trailer months-upon-months in advance
that will only be shared and discussed by those
already interested in the product
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 14

15. The Leftovers
• Format: 51-72 min x (10+10) | Genre:
Drama, Fantasy, Mistery
• Based on: The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
• Created by: Damon Lindelof, Tom
Perrotta
• Production: White Rabbit Productions,
Film 44, Warner Bros Television, HBO
Entertainment
• Original network: HBO
• Distributor: Warner Bros Television
Distribution
• Premiere: Jun 29, 2014 | 1.77M viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 15

16. The Leftovers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
This excellent drama will do best if people just
stop worrying about the ending of "Lost" and
concentrate on the here and now.
It’s been a year of surprises — once again, a rambunctious
array of new shows have come out of nowhere to wow us
and rattle us and make us glad that television exists. But
the best surprise of 2015 might be how good — actually,
how great — “The Leftovers” has become.
16

17. The Leftovers
• After the first episode, Team: Leftovers PR reached out
to social influencers who tweeted using #TheLeftovers
asking their mailing address
• A white plastic box contained:
– one static sticker emblazoned with the GR’s catch-phrase, “We Are
Living Reminders”
– one dossier about the influencer using info drawn from their
Twitter profile
– one postcard inscribed with instructions on how to be a useful
Watcher (for example, use the hashtag #TheLeftovers in any posts
about the show)
– one Zippo lighter, engraved with the words “Don’t Forget Me,” a
nod to both the GR’s smoking habit and a side-plot involving a
mother who left her family to join the GR (her daughter gives her a
Zippo as her own living reminder)
– and ONE BURNER CELL PHONE with which to receive messages
throughout the series! (Another plot nod: one cult leader allocates
a burner to an acolyte so he and another acolyte can avoid
tracking)
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 17

18. The Leftovers
• “If you don’t fulfill your duties as a Watcher,” the
postcard reads, “we reserve the right to take it back
at any time. So keep it charged, keep it close and
await further instruction.”
– An initial message on the phone says there’s a $24 balance
on the thing
– Two other messages are from Holy Wayne, encouraging to
stay hopeful and to await further instructions
– Another message tells how to opt out of texts
– A following text message invites to the second annual
“Drop Conference”
• Actors dressed as cult members staged one of New
York City’s biggest faux pas when they blocked
walking paths in Times Square on June 23, a few
days before the series premiere
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 18

19. The Leftovers
• A YouTube promo for a fake product called
“Loved Ones” was created
– It advertises “bereavement figures” with
composure and familiarity
• In partnership with the Argentinian artist
Pablo Bernasconi, the fake children’s book
The ABCs of the Sudden Departure is taken to
Facebook and Twitter
– The infantility and eeriness of its illustrations
tend to stick in the mind
• Had it premiered on its originally scheduled
date of June 15, after the S4 finale of ‘Game
of Thrones’ it would have attracted more
than 1.77M viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 19

20. Daredevil
• Format: 48-59 min x 13 |
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
• Based on: Marvel’s character
• Created by: Drew Goddard
• Production: Marvel Television,
ABC Studios, DeKnight
Productions, Goddard Textiles
• Original network: Netflix
• Distributor: Netflix
• Premiere: Apr 10, 2015
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 20

21. Daredevil
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
Marvel has shrewdly expanded its portfolio, and
Netflix has upped its must-have quotient with a
fiercely loyal segment of consumers. Viewed that
way, costume or no costume, “Daredevil” looks
dressed for success.
Marvel fans will probably love it, but others may
be put off by its glaring implausibilities.
21

22. Daredevil
• Smaller, more focused line of consumer products that
cater to a more adult audience, given the show’s edgier
tone
– Being released at stores and outlets like Hot Topic
– Supported under the Marvel Knights merchandise program
– A way for producers to make money beyond the content license fees
• Lo-fi viral marketing at New York Comic Con, meant to
replicate the kind of cheap advertising broke lawyers like
Nelson and Murdock could actually afford
• Careful teasing of existing fan base
– Only a handful of official teaser images released till February,
content kept under wraps
– They waited until just over two months before the release to put
out its first trailer
– The teaser trailer only gave well-executed hints at who the main
characters are and how the story will begin, as well as a few
glimpses of the action to get our blood pumping
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 22

23. Supergirl
• Format: 45 min x 7 | Genre:
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
• Based on: DC Comics’ character
• Developed by: Greg Berlanti, Ali
Adler, Andrew Kreisberg
• Production: Berlanti Productions,
DC Entertainment, Warner Bros.
Television
• Original network: CBS
• Distributor: Warner Bros.
Television Distribution
• Premiere: Oct 26, 2015 | 12.96M
viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 23

24. Supergirl
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
(…) finding the right star, and constructing a
credible pilot, are big parts of the battle. Thanks
to those strengths, if the producers can sustain
the playfulness and action without going
overboard on Flockhart’s character, there’s
reason to believe this “girl” can fly.
Melissa Benoist and an uplifting message help it fly.
24

25. Supergirl
• Pilot leaked to piracy sites in May, available in up to 1080p
HD
– 192K downloads in less than a day, with the US, the UK and
Australia the most-active countries
– CBS had touted it as one of its top new shows at its upfront
presentation in NYC
– The official trailer had been viewed 11M times in 10 days,
most watched trailer of May’s upfronts
• Could have put a damper on initial ratings, however it also
served to drive audience to the show and build buzz
especially among millennials
• The same pilot was screened at San Diego and NY Comic-
Con for the same people
• A similar episode helped ‘The Flash’ and ‘Fringe’, also a WB
series, garner some much needed attention
• The odds of a Studio ever admitting that truth, should it be
the case, is slim to none due to the consequences it would
create for the industry in the long run
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 25

26. Narcos
• Format: 43-57 min x 10 |
Genre: Biography, Crime,
Drama
• Created by: Chris Brancato,
Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro
• Production: Gaumont
International Television
• Original network: Netflix
• Distributor: Netflix
• Premiere: Aug 28, 2015
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 26

27. Narcos
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
Functioning as a history lesson as well as a
compelling drama, “Narcos” has a “Goodfellas”
vibe, inasmuch as it offers a heavily narrated,
first-person account of the rise of drug kingpin
Pablo Escobar, and the DEA’s attempts to
thwart him. (…) All told, this Gaumont
production is the kind of binge-worthy TV
addiction that Netflix was born to import.
Cuts through the clutter of so many biopics
with a wider focus and deeper dive.
27

28. Narcos
• A recent Netflix study reveals that fandom rarely begins with the
pilot
– 70% of viewers who watched the “hooked” episode went on to
complete S1
– The deal is sealed on different episodes in each territory
• A huge part of shows gain traction through social media
– The ‘Narcos’ fan page saw a 36.4% increase in Facebook fans in the
month of September
– In September, as the show was released, Narcos posted double the
amount it did in August, antithetically to traditional TV marketing, which
relies on long, heavily saturated lead-in times
– Netflix, not ‘Narcos’ posted the series trailer on August 18th and
updated its cover photo
– High interaction with fans and engaging video and photo content
accompanied by funny caption complete the winning social media
strategy
• Some have found that the marketing strategy did not take into
proper consideration spanish-speaking audiences, besides
stereotypically depicting the Latinx as drug traffickers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 28

29. Empire
• Format: 42 min x (12+10) |
Genre: Drama, Music
• Created by: Lee Daniels, Danny
Strong
• Production: Imagine Television,
Lee Daniels Entertainment,
Danny Strong Productions,
Little Chicken Inc., 20th
• Original network: Fox
• Distributor: 20th Television
• Premiere: Jan 7, 2015 | 12.96M
viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 29

30. Empire
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
The commercial logic informing
“Empire,” Fox’s new primetime soap, is
obvious: Music provides a backdrop with
ancillary benefits, especially on a
network airing “American Idol” (…) this
handsome series dutifully plucks all the
chords, yes, but doesn’t invest them
with much surprise or conviction.
Despite some flaws, entertaining as
hell with a strong story base and
great music
30

31. Empire
• Connected powerfully with African-American viewers,
who make up 61% of the audience
• Fox made it its No. 1 priority for midseason
• It was marketed to everyone in completely different ways
to each target demo
– Played up the family drama and the music aspects
– Targeted the African-American and LGBT communities
along with the fashion world
– Crafted promos that would target audiences who liked
scripted dramas, as well as ones centering around Taraji P.
Henson's breakout character, Cookie, which would appeal
to Real Housewives fans
• The result was a layered campaign that included print,
radio, online, cable, broadcast, even theatrical trailers
and partners like Fox Sports and FX
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 31

32. Empire
• The right key art and music are everything
– The key art showed the two Oscar-nominated actors saying three things:
music, family, power
– Searched for the best music to promote a series about the music
industry, they ultimately settled on a mixture of popular artists
(including Kanye West) and an original song from the series, "No
Apologies,“
• Pile on the tie-ins
– Gold Empire tote bags to Black Friday shoppers in 10 malls across the
country, and it targeted 450 barbershops and hair salons in 10 markets
with print ads and promotional items
– Commissioned an Adidas shoe from JBF Customs and created custom-
made jewelry tied to the show
– Courted male viewers by sponsoring the Manny Pacquaio-Chris Algieri
pay-per-view boxing match on Nov. 22. "We've never done that before,"
Earley said. Fox also advertised heavily during football games
– The result: Empire's audience has been 37 percent male
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 32

33. Empire
• Made one last premiere push
– They followed a two-week holiday lull with "a really intense media spend
between New Year's and the premiere
• Increased ratings equaled increased spending in media buys
• Put video on demand (VOD) front and center in the promotion between
episodes one and two
– In its first seven days, the debut episode averaged 3.2 million views across
VOD, FOX Now and Hulu
• Made sure potential new viewers can watch the whole season
– Fox and 20th Century Fox made a stacking agreement that will enable the
network to stream all episodes (instead of the usual agreement that restricts
a network to streaming only the most recent five episodes
• Replicating its successful Glee approach, Fox made Empire's music
available on iTunes
• Cross-promotion with American Idol, with Idol members guest-starring
on Empire
– while the network had expected to use American Idol to boost Empire's
ratings, it now has the reverse situation
• The quick renewal encouraged binge-watching and also let the
consumer products team get an early start on merchandising
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 33

34. Empire
• Huge social media contribution from talent and other
influencers in music and fashion
– Praise from another television titan with a big following helped,
too. Shonda Rhimes tweeted shortly after the premiere, "So now
I am all about Empire. ALL ABOUT ‪#EMPIRE‪, tweeples.“
– High-profile guest stars like Naomi Campbell, Coutrney Love and
Mary J Blige pitching in
• Social media strategy was masterly
– Knew the audience very well
• Audience loved great R&B and Hip Hop music
• Fashion was a major interest to its fan base, especially women
– Participated in real time engagement
– Created a community not just an audience
• Empire’s #CookieMonsters, so named by Cookie actress, Taraji P.
Henson, rooted not only for the character but also for the women
portraying her
– Provided branded shareable content
– Developed influencer relationships
• In Episode 6, titled “Out, Damn Spot”, Cookie asked a famous
football player with millions of followers to tweet about Jamaal’s
new single
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 34

35. The Man in the High Castle
• Format: 48-60 min x 10 | Genre:
Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
• Based on: The Man in the High
Castle by Philip K. Dick
• Created by: Frank Spotnitz
• Production: Amazon Studios,
Scott Free Productions, Electric
Shepherd Productions, Headline
Pictures, Picrow, Reunion
Pictures
• Original network: Amazon Video
• Distributor: Amazon.com
• Premiere: Jan 15, 2015
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 35

36. The Man in the High Castle
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
There is not much hope in this serious,
ambitious drama, but there are moments of
real connection that make one believe that
individuals — and even images — can make a
difference. Is that belief an illusion? Author Dick
built a career out of the question, and this
adaptation of one of his most famous tales
explores that in an intelligent and visually
exhilarating way.
A conceptually and visually
intriguing "alternate history."
36

37. The Man in the High Castle
• Renewed for S2, most-streamed original show ever
globally for Amazon, recording in only one month its
biggest launch month previously held by ‘Bosch’
• Premiered the same day as Netflix’s Marvel’s Jessica Jones
• Passed over by the BBC and the Syfy channel before
landing at Amazon Studios after 8 years
• it also drove the 1962 Philip K. Dick fantasy novel of the
same name back onto bestseller lists: four- to five-time
jump in sales, and that’s both in print and e-sales
• Some controversy after Amazon marketing wrapped
subway cars in Nazi-like ads for the series and had to
remove them amid complaints from the public, though
they claimed they bring “high-quality, provocative
programming that spurs conversation”
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 37

38. The Man in the High Castle
• Amazon has about 48M subscribers to Prime in the US, growing 62%
year over year in Q3 2015
• However Amazon Instant Video Usage remains low
– 43% of Prime members use instant video at least a few times a month,
38% of Prime members use it only once a year or less, 31% “Never” use
Amazon instant video (source: RBC Capital Markets survey)
• Future investments in content, awareness campaigns, and the
release of Amazon Fire TV could help boost these figures over time
– Through the Streaming Partners Program, Prime members can now
add SHOWTIME, STARZ and dozens more video subscriptions to
their Prime membership
• Prime may have 100M subscribers in 2017, assuming that 70M
are consuming videos, and say 10% will subscribe to each
channel but 2% are cordcutters, and say 20% share one account
so those are only counted once, each show has now potentially
5M more US viewers to add up to cable/satellite
– Rather than incur the costs of content creation (which to
some extent it is ALSO doing with its own originals efforts), it
is opening its doors to OTHERS who have made big content
investments
– Would that imply also effective marketing efforts, that
remains a question to be answered, but it is sure that this
allows to reach out to underserved audiences such as younger
and lower-income demos
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 38

39. The Last Kingdom
• Format: 58-59 min x 8 | Genre:
Action, History, Romance
• Based on: The Saxon Stories by
Bernard Cornwell
• Created by: Stephen Butchard,
Bernard Cornwell
• Production: Carnival Film and
Television
• Original network: BBC America
• Distributor: BBC Worldwide
• Premiere: Oct 10, 2015 | 2M viewers
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 39

40. The Last Kingdom
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
(…) this eight-part series (half of which was screened)
proves its mettle as a worthy, somewhat
complementary variation on that show, with plenty of
first-rate casting in supporting roles, not that anyone
should grow too attached to them. Produced by the
team behind “Downton Abbey” and adapted from a
book series, the project is spare and unsentimental,
capturing the barbarism of the time through a
protagonist straddling two disparate worlds.
A new series with a lot of Norse sense. BBC
America's enjoyable Viking-invaders drama takes
viewers back to the tumultuous birth of England.
40

41. The Last Kingdom
• Epic drama comparable to HBO’s ‘Game of
Thrones’ with no dragons with a
documentary feel and history at its heart
• In the vein of ‘Downtown Abbey’ and ‘The
Tudors’ for its fictitious aspects
• King Alfred the Great presented as the
English George Washington
• Bernard Cornwell has been largely
involved in the social media campaign and
through his website
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 41

42. Digital Strategy highlights
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
Facebook
fans
Instagram
followers
Twitter
followers Tumblr G+ Pinterest
Viewers
(latest episode, M, Live+7)
Mr Robot 599K 53K 128K NO n.a. n.a. 1.21
Agent Carter 606K 38K 195K YES 1K 720 4.01
Jessica Jones 600K 31K 128K YES n.a. n.a. n.a.
The Leftovers 349K n.a. 61K NO n.a. n.a. n.a.
Daredevil 1.4M n.a. 257K NO 226 n.a. n.a.
Supergirl 536k 82K 77K NO n.a. n.a. 7.28
Narcos 1.7M 100K 50K NO n.a. n.a. n.a.
Empire 3.6M 1.6M 676K YES n.a. 2.4K 17.33
The Man in the High Castle 129K 7K 7K NO n.a. n.a. n.a.
The Last Kingdom 16K n.a. 5K NO n.a. n.a. 1.37
42

43. Digital Strategy highlights
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015
Posts / Originals (%) Users Reach Impressions Female (%) U.S. (%)
#MrRobot 863 / 67.3 494 870,026 1,281,823 39 32
#AgentCarter 644 / 44.4 416 410,833 627,310 75 56
#JessicaJones 858 / 50.1 743 9,146,851 9,297,437 43 48
#TheLeftovers 861 / 57.8 706 5,876,737 6,176,862 42 48
#Daredevil 702 / 39.9 582 5,549,135 5,623,595 38 41
#Supergirl 703 / 48.2 522 7,959,278 8,373,555 48 56
#Narcos 94 / 60.6 57 4,547,480 4,594,266 20 47
#Empire 860 / 39.3 642 10,633,127 15,970,958 54 40
#HighCastle 781 / 24.2 620 6,806,191 6,904,695 56 72
#TheLastKingdom 660 / 51.5 414 643,347 1,006,916 40 29
Week 12/9 - 12-16 | Source: keyhole.co
43

44. Contacts
Alessandro Masi
MBA | Entertainment Business Professional
E: alemasit@gmail.com
LinkedIn: /in/alemasit
Twitter: @AleMasiT
Blog: FlixBiz.com
Dec 2015 Breakout TV Series 2015 44