Squid Game Times Square
Founders Agency · Hunter PR · Plural.co · ft. Lil Dicky · Diageo × Netflix
To celebrate Squid Game Season 2, Johnnie Walker and Netflix planned a live, unrehearsed stunt at Duffy Square's TKTS red stairs (the most-watched corner of Times Square). Recruiters in character would play Ddakji with unsuspecting strangers. A two-minute countdown clock would appear on the massive TSX billboard with the Squid Game theme playing. Then the crowd would be pulled into a real game of Red Light Green Light, all broadcast live on Times Square screens.
Working with Hunter PR and Founders Agency, we built an 18-frame run-of-show storyboard mapped to the minute, from the 30-minute pre-show at 4:24 PM through the countdown, bottle reveal, QR code game instructions, two rounds of Red Light Green Light, live elimination sequences with pink guards, and a winner announcement on the billboard. Each frame showed both what played on screen and what happened on the ground simultaneously. Three full versions were produced across rapid feedback rounds with Netflix, Johnnie Walker, and Hunter PR, with the Striding Man logo and JW limited-edition bottle woven into every beat.
The boards became the production blueprint. On October 1, 2024, the stunt ran exactly as storyboarded, a 2-hour activation at Duffy Square extending through a 3-bar happy hour through 8 PM. Covered by Forbes, AdAge, Event Marketer, Marketing Dive, and PR Newswire. The activation was part of Netflix's 'Bring Korea to the World' campaign for Squid Game Season 2, recognized with a Silver Media Lion at Cannes Lions 2025 and two Gold and six Silver Clio Entertainment Awards. The activation itself earned an OAAA OBIE Silver for Experiential.
EVENT FOOTAGE
FROM THE BOARD
STORYBOARDS
Pre-show begins 4:24 PM. Recruiters in full Squid Game uniform take position at the TKTS red stairs
Recruiters challenge passersby to Ddakji on the stairs, unsuspecting crowd drawn in
Crowd grows around the stairs, energy building before the main event
TSX billboard activates. Squid Game countdown clock appears, theme music fills the square
JW × Squid Game branding goes live on the TSX screen, Striding Man woven in
Two-minute countdown, crowd locked in, Pink Guards hold the perimeter
Bottle reveal on screen (the JW limited-edition Squid Game bottle hero moment)
QR code drops on the billboard. Players scan to register for Red Light Green Light
Rules displayed on screen, crowd receives game instructions via billboard
Red Light Green Light Round 1. The doll activates, players freeze across the square
First eliminations. Pink Guards remove players who moved on Red Light
Between rounds, crowd reaction, JW branding beats on the TSX screen
Red Light Green Light Round 2. Final players compete for the win
Final eliminations. Last players standing hold position under the billboard
Winner announced live on the TSX billboard (Squid Game winner graphic with JW bottle)
Crowd celebration, Lil Dicky appearance, happy hour activation begins
Three-bar happy hour launches through 8 PM, JW Squid Game limited edition served
Final billboard beat, JW × Squid Game Season 2 title card, campaign close
ON THE GROUND
- BrandJohnnie Walker / Diageo
- Campaign LeadJosh Dean (VP Johnnie Walker, Diageo North America)
- Netflix PartnershipMagno Herran (VP Global Brand & Partner Marketing, Netflix)
- Global Creative AgencyAnomaly
- PR AgencyHunter PR
- Experiential / Global RolloutFounders Agency
- Media AgencyWing
- ProductionPlural.co
- Bottle & Packaging DesignThe Cabinet
- Creative DirectorJames Taylor (The Cabinet)
- Lead DesignerAlex Rake (The Cabinet)
- Striding Man IllustratorChris Mitchell
- Europe BillboardChant Happy (The Drop)
- TalentLil Dicky (David Burd)
- MixologistGinn Choe (The 456 Cocktail)
- StoryboardsVado Studio