All eleven Doctors as they have appeared on television over the past 50 years. The 50th Anniversary episode, and all content relating to it tagged by the hashtag #SaveTheDay, will feature current Doctor Matt Smith, as well as past Doctors.
As one of the longest running television shows in British broadcast history, Doctor Who is a beloved show across the pond. The title character is a Time Lord who, with the help of his T.A.R.D.I.S. (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), travels through time saving the universe. The show first aired in 1963 on the BBC and continued to run for 26 seasons, which periodically saw a change of Doctors when the script saw to the death of the current Doctor, resulting in convenient regeneration and a new casting. Production halted in 1989 but recommenced in 2005, and this year the BBC celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Doctor. One way the BBC is promoting the 50th anniversary episode (featuring Doctors past and present) is through a marketing campaign that connects tagged Doctor Who content across multiple social media platforms to a central interactive TARDIS.
A brand that has grown with fans has had to evolve with its audience, aligning its values with those of its target market, finding the most effective ways to access audiences, and to deliver what consumers want when they want it. Doctor Who has achieved an almost cult-like status across the world, generated by the memorable storyline, but also through the casting of The Doctor and interaction between the product and consumers. By casting beloved actors like David Tennant, the Doctor Who empire is able to target and absorb Tennant’s followers, increasing the show’s consumer base. Consumers also have numerous opportunities to connect with The Doctor, increasing audience engagement: there have been many spinoffs, on television as well as on the radio, extending the breadth and depth of the series. Doctor Who has a huge presence across the Internet, bringing audiences as close as possible to their favourite time traveller and his incredible adventures.