FAN CAMPAIGN

Fan Campaign! (UPDATED)

We are excited to announce our first official fan campaign!

We have chosen the idea to send personal, hand written letters to AMC with ketchup smears on them as our fan campaign. This was chosen because it is simple and relatively inexpensive to do and it is tied to a moment in the show which carried with it a lot of heavy symbolic and emotional weight.

In case it isn’t fresh in your memory, the ketchup smear was used in episode 109, Up Helly Aa. In the opening scene in the station wagon, Cameron hands Joe a page from his demo speech, leaving a glob of ketchup on the page. Disgusted, Joe tries to wipe this ketchup off, leaving a ketchup smear on the page. Later in the episode, after Joe has made the tough decision to remove Cameron’s OS in order to sell the Giant, he sees this ketchup smear again during his demo which creates a heavy moment for Joe’s character as he is reminded of what he has just lost in order to sell this machine. Here is an image from the show of the piece of paper complete with ketchup smear:

 

Image credit: @beatriceparis

Guidelines:

Please be polite. Absolutely no coarse language. Do not be rude, do not bully the network. Keep these letters simple and thoughtful. Explain to the network why you love it and why you want more. Try to use positive language whenever possible, for example, say “Please renew” instead of “Please don’t cancel.”

Hand written letters on yellow pad paper with the ketchup smear is ideal to be as close to what was used in the show as possible. But this is optional. Do what you can with what you have and within your means, schedule and budget.

Send letters to AMC President and CEO:

Josh Sapan
AMC Networks Inc.
11 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001

Ideally, this should be an ongoing effort until the end of the season or until the network makes a decision. The point is to make an impact and really get AMC’s attention. This could mean 1-3 letters a week. But once again, do what you can, within your means, schedule and budget. We appreciate everyone’s help, no effort is too big or too small, it all counts.

International fans are encouraged to participate if it is affordable for them to do so. We realize postage would be more expensive outside the US. However, it might make a strong impression on AMC to know how far reaching and global the fan base is.

Personal letters are best, but if you are having a hard time thinking of what to say, we have provided a sample letter you can use. Feel free to personalize it as you wish.

Edit: REGARDING KETCHUP: This is optional. We like this idea as a meaningful symbol taken from the show to focus our efforts and show solidarity among the fans. If using real ketchup for the smear, tear off a piece of wax paper to cover the stain. This will keep the page from sticking together and make it easier for whoever is opening it/reading it on the other end. Or you can use watercolors/markers/etc as your "ketchup." It is supposed to be symbolic, but it doesn't have to be gross. ;-)

Let us know your progress! Let’s have fun with this! Come on here and share your efforts in our comments. It also might be a good idea to take pictures of your letters and post them to any social media you use (Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, etc) with the hashtag #SaveHCF. Spread the word of the campaign and hopefully get more people writing in.

The idea of sending in floppy disks with “Please Renew” messages written on them was also tossed around. If anyone likes this idea and would like to do this one, you are more than welcome to do so. We chose the letters because we figured it would be the easiest and most affordable for the most people, but if you love the floppy idea, don’t let us stop you!

That’s it in a nutshell, guys! We hope as many of you will join us in our fight as possible. Let’s get AMC’s attention and let them know that we love Halt and Catch Fire and we want a season 3! Sound off in the comments and let us know if you’re on board! Let’s get to work and make this happen!

-Rachel  

SAMPLE LETTER: This is to help if you are stuck. You can tweak it any way you'd like. Remember what you add is the most important aspect. As you will see (the body of the letter) Why you like the show, What keeps you watching, Why we should save it. The Opening and closing are more a formula. 

Josh Sapan
AMC Networks Inc.
11 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001

Dear MR. Josh Sapan, President and CEO, AMC Networks Inc.,

            AMC is known for its creativity and innovation when it comes to television; Mad Men, Breaking Bad and the Walking Dead to name only a few. When Halt and Catch Fire premiered in June of 2014 the barrier was forever broken. Not only was this a show about computers, but a show about relationships. Christopher Rogers and Christopher Cantwell found a way to marry technology and people in the year 1983, which directly mirrors society in 2015.

            They have created a cast of characters we not only love, but have personally connected with over the past two seasons.

HERE you write about:

1. Why you love the show.

2. What keeps you watching?

3. Why should it stay on the air?

CLOSING:

            This show has connected millions of fans. It has brought people together. It has quite literally brought the enigmatic Joe MacMillan’s vision to life. These characters deserve to live on. This show deserves to live on. The cast and crew have worked so hard to give us something we crave. We are the connection, the community. Please do not cancel Halt and Catch Fire before it has the chance to truly spread its wings. These characters deserve to grow, to flourish. We are the fans. We are here to save Halt and Catch Fire.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

-Bailey

Aren’t able to send a letter or want to support on two different fronts?

This is also a good idea for International fans who may not be able to send a physical letter.

Send an email via AMC’s official email form at: http://www.amcnetworks.com/contact-us

There isn’t a character limit so you’re even able to send a letter this way. The ketchup smear won’t be present, but the effect is just the same and equally as important.

You can even take part in both. The more they know we love this show and want it on the air the better.

Thank you for taking part in this labor of love and thank you for supporting our campaign to SAVE HALT AND CATCH FIRE. #savehcf

We couldn’t do it without you. 

 Credit: AMC.com for the image