Bafta Winning Writer Russell T Davies Turns His Hand to Neighbourly Dispute Notes to Promote Explosive New Channel 4 Suburban Thriller

When mysterious, and insulting, oversized notes began appearing on the side of two ordinary houses in Salford earlier this week, passersby were intrigued. Speculation spread online as the slanging match intensified over the course of a week.

Today it was revealed that the messages were actually a part of a highly original campaign from Channel 4’s award-winning 4Creative and Marketing teams to promote Russell T Davies’ new drama Tip Toe – and that the notes were written by Russell himself.

The campaign, titled Massive Aggressive Notes, reflects the neighbourly antagonism at the heart of Russell’s gripping new series and takes the highly original approach of revealing the salacious storylines and introducing the public to its main protagonists, Leo and Clive, before the show airs on 31st May. The messages capture the escalating tensions of the series as an ordinary suburban dispute spirals dangerously out of control.

The notes are 5 meters tall and were made by award-winning Immersive activations & Public art specialists Creative Giants.

David Wigglesworth, ECD & Creative Partner, 4Creative, said,

‘Nothing gets the curtains twitching faster than a neighbourly dispute. Watching seemingly ordinary people spiral into pettiness, paranoia and confrontation is oddly irresistible.

That insight felt like the perfect way to welcome the world to Tip Toe. And once Russell agreed to write the notes himself, the whole thing started to feel less like a campaign and more like a piece of suburban performance art, with something much darker lurking beneath the open insults.’ 

Miketta Lane, Director of 4Creative said,

‘This campaign takes the emotional heart of Russell’s storytelling and amplifies it into the real world through craft-led execution and deep collaboration across our teams and production partners. Playing on our “love thy neighbour” idea, it blurs the line between fiction and reality - turning everyday tension into something culturally resonant and disruptive. With a shared ambition, we’ve created a campaign designed to live beyond traditional media and get people talking.’ 

Nic Moran, Head of Marketing, Brand & Content, Channel 4 said,

‘The creative brings to life the escalating neighbour dispute at the heart of the series through oversized “petty notes” that feel instantly recognisable to anyone who has experienced tensions close to home. The campaign is further amplified through LADbible, alongside flyposters, digital escalator panels, and high impact sites all anchored by the campaign strapline, Love Thy Neighbour.

 To deepen audience intrigue, messages written by Russell and posted under Clive and Leo’s names appeared across Reddit communities, blurring the line between fiction and reality. The campaign also features a keyed Volvo used as media space, with the show title scratched directly into the paintwork as though caught in the middle of the feud itself.’

 Tip Toe, from the multi award-winning Russell T Davies (It’s A Sin, Queer as Folk, Doctor Who), produced by Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios) and executive produced by Nicola Shindler (Queer as Folk, It’s A Sin, Fool Me Once). The five-part series is directed by Peter Hoar (It’s A Sin, The Last of Us, Nolly) and follows Leo and Clive who live next door to each other in Manchester. Leo runs a bar on Canal Street, Clive’s an electrician, with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually, two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense, suburban thriller which challenges everything we consider to be safe.

The series, populated with a cast of vibrant characters and underscored with Davies’ trademark wit and deft humour, is an urgent yet gripping tale that brings a spotlight to bear on the re-emergence of an incipient threat.

Tip Toe airs on Channel 4 from Sunday 31st May at 9pm

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Credits

Brand: Channel 4

Chief Audience & Marketing Officer: Katie Jackson

Director of Brand & Content Marketing: Lisa Nash

Head of Marketing, Brand & Content: Nic Moran

Marketing Lead: Charlotte Lewis

Marketing Manager: Stacy Parris

Marketing Manager: Gabi Schuman

Creative Strategy Lead: Alice McGinn

Influencer Marketing Lead: Ryan Johnson

Head of Corporate Communications, Commercial, Streaming & Technology: Gavin Dawson

Senior Content Strategist, 4Studio: Aaron Gillies

Social Strategist, 4Studio: Gugundeep Kaur

Senior Content Strategist, 4Studio: Sophie Grundy

Social Producer Editor, 4Studio: Naranjanpal Hare

Social Media Manager, 4Studio: Emma Lyskava

Agency: 4Creative

Director of 4Creative: Miketta Lane

Executive Creative Director & Creative Partner: David Wigglesworth

Creative Director: Dan Warner

Creative Director: Andy Vasey

Senior Creative: Stuart Gittings

Senior Creative: Reuben Dangoor

Head of Production: Charlie Bettice

Head of Creative Operations: Olivia Jones

Senior Project Manager: John Trevor

Head of Design: Rob Boon

Designer: Charlie Bird

Creative Artworker: Zen St George

Executive Producer: Louise Oliver

Senior Producer: Fiona Wright

Producer: Hope Sutherland

Producer: Chloe Roberts

Production Manager: Hannah Jones

Junior Producer: Amelia Croom

Production Apprentice: Bil-Marhamah Rahman

Senior Promo Director: James Brown

Senior Promo Director: Rob Heath

Promo Director: Labona Wyatt                        

Production: Creative Giants Art Ltd

Director: Simon Vaughan

Director: Ben Kearns

Exec Producer at large: Victoria Dobrowolska

Location & Permissions: Location X

Location Manager: Lois Williams

Assistant Location Manager: Reece Churm

Rigging & Structural Installation: East London Riggers

Lead Rigger: Damian Walsh East

Reality Engineers: Elliana Soma, Anthony Perret, Morgan Di Patrizi, Joe Chiles, Ben Smith

Set Build / Prop / Scenic Artists: Jen Patterson, Lee Whiteman, Jim Harris, Dom Downing

Photographer: Brian O’Hanlon

Shutterstock Photographer: Jon Super

Videography: Lloyd Hughes - Brightbranch Media Ltd

Post production for supporting assets: Lucky Cat Post Production

Influencer Marketing Agency: The Cast

Business Director: Jonny Parker

Senior Account Manager: Parth Depala

Account Manager: Giovanna Mulenga

Media Agency: OMD

Strategy Partner: Grant Beckley

Creative Partner: Annie Jarvis

Client Leadership Client Partner: Leanne Young

Client Leadership Business Director: Erin Kelley

Client Leadership Associate Director: Paige Bickhoff

Media Partnerships Associate Director: Prashan Green

Biddable Associate Director: Maria Gaitanidou

Biddable Manager: Taimoor Rashid

Biddable Executive: Maryam Omar

OOH Partner: Talon