Amazon City Sessions presented by Aviva at Aviva Studios in Manchester redefined branded cultural engagement — blending world-class artistry, immersive storytelling, and measurable impact at scale.
Aviva’s challenge was clear: how could we elevate this landmark cultural venue beyond the 1.5 million who had already visited and embed Aviva Studios into the national cultural conversation?
In partnership with Amazon, we brought the acclaimed City Sessions format to Europe for the first time, curating a series of standout performances from leading artists including Franz Ferdinand and Mumford & Sons. With four unique cultural showcases, each streamed live via Prime Video and Twitch, the series celebrated artistic diversity and connected audiences both in-person and across the UK through Amazon’s expansive owned media.
The results were outstanding. The campaign reached 24 million people — 4 million above benchmark. With 66 million total impressions, 14,000 ballot entries (+164%), and a 2,500-strong live audience, City Sessions demonstrated its power to drive both cultural reach and emotional resonance.
City Sessions became a cultural milestone for Aviva Studios, delivering its most significant awareness shift since launch and record uplifts in our three key brand health metrics: Brand Meaning, Differentiation, and Salience.
Beyond performance, the initiative created lasting social value. Through Aviva’s support of Factory Academy — an award-winning free technical skills programme — students gained hands-on experience at each event, working alongside some of the UK’s most celebrated cultural figures.
