Promo issue to promote comedy's return

Channel 4 has revived Smash Hits magazine to promote the third and final series of Derry Girls.

The 28-page magazine includes a pull out double-page poster of the cast and classic Derry Girls themed features like the Biscuit Tin interview.

More than 150,000 copies  will be distributed, with copies being handed out across the UK, as well as being bagged up with this week's issues of heat and Closer, which hit newsstands today.

Some of the content has also been adapted for TikTok, such as the ability for users to insert their own images onto the front cover of Smash Hits with the Derry Girls cast.

The 90s nostalgia continues on Spotify with a ‘Create your own mixtape’ feature.

On the ground in Derry, the UV Arts team which immortalised the Derry Girls characters in a mural to celebrate the second series, below, is working on a temporary update or the launch of Series three, which will be  unveiled tomorrow.

The campaign has been produced by 4Creative for Channel 4 Marketing, with the help of magazine publishers  Bauer Media.

Lynsey Atkin of 4Creative, said: ‘Smash Hits and Derry Girls is a match made in 90s heaven – both icons of their time, wildly popular and with an incorrigible urge to say what they think (even when it gets them into trouble).

‘We have absolutely loved bringing this campaign to life; giving the Derry Girls (and the wee English fella) the full pop star treatment and working with Bauer Media and [the comedy’s writer] Lisa McGee to give fans even more of Erin and the gang before school’s out for good.’

Lucie Cave, chief content officer at Bauer Media added: ‘Nostalgia is having such a moment, and this is like jumping back into your teenage bedroom and grabbing a hairbrush to sing in the mirror − we can’t wait for fans to grab a copy and dive into Derry Girls in all its glory!’

Smash Hits was originally published  from 1978 to 2006

Derry Girls returns to Channel 4 next Tuesday. Here's a first look at the series:

Published: 5 Apr 2022