Case StudyTransmediaRecognition

The Orangery + WME: How to Build a Wall of Fame Around Transmedia IP

ssuccesses

2026-02-14

9 min read

How The Orangery’s WME signing proves a Wall of Fame turns creative wins into agency deals — with a 6-stage playbook to replicate it.

Hook: Your IP is great — but can agencies find and trust it?

Creators and small transmedia studios tell us the same frustrating story in 2026: you build remarkable IP, collect client wins and strong audience moments, but you can't convert that momentum into agency representation, licensing deals, or meaningful press. That gap isn't a creative problem — it's a visibility and verification problem. The Orangery’s recent signing with WME shows how a public recognition program — a well-designed Wall of Fame — turns scattered success into a single, credible signal that attracts talent agencies and buyers.

Top-line: What this report and playbook deliver

In the next sections you'll get a concise case report on The Orangery's rise to a WME partnership (Jan 2026), plus a practical, repeatable playbook to build a public recognition program that increases IP visibility, attracts agencies and partners, and converts accolades into leads. Expect step-by-step templates, a 90-day launch plan, verification checklists, distribution tactics tuned to late-2025/early-2026 trends, and KPI benchmarks for transmedia IP. For a compact how-to on building your transmedia portfolio see Build a Transmedia Portfolio — Lessons from The Orangery and WME.

Case evidence: The Orangery + WME (why it matters)

What happened. On Jan 16, 2026 Variety reported that "The William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed recently formed European transmedia outfit The Orangery", a Turin-based studio led by Davide G.G. Caci that controls graphic-novel IP such as Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika.

"The William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed recently formed European transmedia outfit The Orangery, which holds the rights to strong IP in the graphic novel and comic book sphere ..." — Variety (Jan 16, 2026)

Why it’s evidence, not luck. Agencies like WME don't sign IP studios based on a single viral post. They respond to clustered, verifiable signals: consistent audience engagement across formats, demonstrable transmedia potential (adaptability to TV, film, games, merchandising), third-party validation (festivals, awards, critical press), and a professionalized presentation that reduces transaction friction.

The Orangery’s trajectory — founding by an experienced industry operator, hit graphic novels with transmedia hooks, and timely press — maps to a repeatable pattern. The missing piece for many creators is a centralized, public program that curates and certifies those signals for the market. That is your Wall of Fame.

Why a public recognition program matters in 2026

Trend drivers (late 2025 — early 2026)

Agency consolidation and active scouting: Major agencies are reaccelerating IP acquisition and representation, favoring assets that show cross-platform traction.
Data-driven discovery: AI tools and rights buyers rely on standardized, verifiable metadata and signal stacks to rank IP opportunity — learn practical discoverability tactics in Teach Discoverability.
Hybrid awards and virtual showcases: Festivals and award bodies now maintain year‑round programming, providing more moments to publicize recognition. Consider activation frameworks from the Activation Playbook 2026 when planning launches.
Provenance matters: Digital provenance tools — not necessarily blockchain tokens, but robust tracking and third-party verification — are increasingly expected for high-value IP deals.

Combined, these trends make public recognition programs more valuable: they package creative achievement into structured, discoverable signals that agencies and buyers can act on.

The Wall of Fame Playbook: 6 Phases to build transmedia recognition

Below is an actionable, prioritized pathway. Treat this as sprint-ready: each phase includes deliverables and owner roles so small teams can execute quickly.

Phase 1 — Audit & strategy (Days 1–14)

Inventory: catalog IP assets, formats, release dates, sales, readership metrics, social engagement, licensing inquiries, awards, festival selections, press mentions, creator bios.
Stakeholder map: list partners, festivals, critics, distributors, and lawyers; identify who can verify claims.
Define recognition taxonomy: decide categories (e.g., "Storytelling Excellence", "Adaptation-Ready", "Audience Growth", "Critical Acclaim").
Set KPIs: discovery (organic search), agency leads, licensing inquiries, conversion rate, press pickup. Example: aim for 3 agency outreach meetings within 90 days of launch.

Phase 2 — Recognition architecture & assets (Days 7–30)

Create the Wall of Fame landing page: hero banner, searchable tiles for each accolade, verification badges, downloadable media kit. (See discoverability guidance for SEO and structured data.)
Design tiers and badges: e.g., Honors (awards, festival wins), Verified Reach (audience thresholds), Adaptation-Ready (proof of cross-media elements). Use SVG badges for portability.
Produce 1–2 case-study pages per IP: 450–800 words, visuals, timeline, measurable outcomes, and a short "why it matters for screen" section. Templates and examples for case studies and portfolios are summarized in Build a Transmedia Portfolio.
Assemble a press kit and a concise agency one-sheet that references Wall of Fame badges.

Phase 3 — Verification & trust-building (Days 10–40)

Verification checklist: receipts for sales (distributor reports), third-party reviews, festival selection letters, subscriber lists, independent analytics (ChartMetric, BookScan where available), and legal ownership documentation.
Partner endorsements: secure 2–3 short quotes from festival programmers, critics, or distributor execs that can appear on the Wall of Fame tile.
Transparency page: explain methodology and data sources to build buyer trust.

Phase 4 — Content and PR launch (Days 30–60)

Press release template: highlight the Wall of Fame launch, anchor to a timely news hook (awards season, festival slate, or agency signing like WME).
Owned media push: long-form post that summarizes the verification process and showcases three big wins, plus a short video reel (60–90 sec) featuring creators and art. If you’re building owned video, see distribution guides like Beyond Spotify for platform choices.
Paid amplification: targeted LinkedIn outreach to agents, scouts, and execs; sponsored posts on industry verticals; newsletter mentions in trade publications.
Live showcase: virtual or hybrid event with short readings, creator panels, and a curated "award" reveal to attract press. For planning hybrid events and monetization consider the Micro-Events to Revenue Playbook.

Phase 5 — Partnerships & awards placement (Days 45–90)

Submit eligible work to festivals and awards with a tailored submission pack that references Wall of Fame credentials to signal seriousness.
Co-create awards or recognition programs with niche festivals or partner platforms — being an originator amplifies discoverability.
Outreach to agencies: pitch the Wall of Fame as a discovery deck and invite them to a data room with verified assets. Be aware of how agents use tools and summaries — AI summarization is changing agent workflows, so make your data room summary-friendly.

Phase 6 — Sustain, measure, and iterate (90+ days)

Monthly KPI review: track press mentions, inbound agency contacts, demo requests, licensing inquiries, downloads of the media kit.
Quarterly refresh: add new badges, retire old ones, and publish a "Hall of Progress" that highlights new milestones.
Community activation: invite peer nominations, host juried recognition rounds, and create recurring showcase events. Messaging and community tools like Telegram are widely used for micro-events and creator communities.

Templates and practical assets (copy-ready)

Press release headline (fill-in)

[Studio Name] launches Wall of Fame to certify transmedia IP — showcases award-winning graphic novels and adaptation-ready properties

One-sheet bullets for agencies

IP Title | Format(s): Graphic Novel, Webcomic, Short Film (if any)
Accolades: Wall of Fame badge(s) and verification links
Audience: core metrics + cross-platform reach summary
Adaptation hooks: story arcs, comparable titles, potential cast/visual references
Ownership status & rights availability

What agencies (like WME) actually evaluate — and how your Wall of Fame helps

Agencies weigh several categories when assessing transmedia IP. Use the Wall of Fame to highlight each category directly.

Proven Audience: evidence of sustained engagement vs. one-time virality. Wall tiles with verified reach badges solve this.
IP Adaptability: clear story arcs, worldbuilding, and ancillary opportunities. Add a short "adaptation case" on each tile.
Revenue Signals: sales, subscriptions, merch or licensing history. Attach downloadable receipts or redacted summaries for agency review; merchandising guidance can help package collectible editions (designing print product pages for collector appeal).
Professional Team & Process: a track record of deadlines, deliverables, and legal clarity reduces agency friction. List key personnel and past collaborations.
Third-Party Validation: awards, critical reviews, and festival selections. Badges + verification links are the currency here.

2026 tech and rights considerations

Two practical notes for 2026:

Provenance and traceability: Buyers expect reliable provenance. Adopt standard metadata (ISNI equivalents, rights owners, license windows). Where appropriate, use tamper-evident ledgers or notarized records to timestamp releases — but avoid making blockchain a requirement; legal clarity is more important.
AI era discoverability: Optimize Wall of Fame pages for both humans and discovery models — structured data (schema.org), clear metadata, captions for media, and machine-readable verification fields will improve algorithmic surfacing. Start with practical advice in Teach Discoverability.

Measurement: KPIs that prove the Wall moves the needle

Focus on lead-focused and signal-focused KPIs:

Inbound agency contacts and expressed interest rate.
Demo/data-room requests per quarter.
Press pickup and tier-1 trade mentions.
Conversion rate from a Wall of Fame media kit download to a qualified meeting.
Search uplift for IP and brand (organic impressions for keywords like "[IP name] adaptation," "[Studio name] Wall of Fame").

90-Day Launch Plan (quick reference)

Week 1–2: Audit assets, set KPIs, define recognition taxonomy.
Week 3–4: Build landing page, design badges, create two case studies.
Week 5–6: Verify claims, collect partner quotes, finalize media kit.
Week 7–8: Launch PR, social, and paid outreach; host a virtual showcase. See event playbooks like the Micro-Events to Revenue Playbook.
Week 9–12: Submit to festivals, direct outreach to agencies, review KPI progress.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Pitfall: Overclaiming or opaque verification. Fix: Publish a verification methodology and retain evidence in a secure data room.
Pitfall: Building a Wall as a static vanity gallery. Fix: Make it dynamic: update badges, publish progress stories, and build community nomination features.
Pitfall: Ignoring legal and rights readiness. Fix: Prepare a simple rights memorandum that outlines what is negotiable and what is owned outright.

Replicate The Orangery’s visibility — tactical sample

Use this mini-case as a blueprint. If you have a graphic novel with strong visual identity and an engaged readership:

Publish two short-form transmedia tie-ins (animated social shorts, illustrated character dossiers) to demonstrate cross-format adaptability.
Enter a strategic set of festivals (regional and international) with a pack that highlights Wall of Fame badges.
Secure one-tier trade mention (e.g., Variety, The Hollywood Reporter) by offering an exclusive angle — perhaps a strategic partnership or adaptation-first announcement.
Package all evidence into a single-page agency deck with links to the Wall of Fame and a secure data room for legal and financials. If you need help connecting micro apps and discovery tools into your outreach stack, see the Integration Blueprint.

Quick checklist: assets to ship now

Wall of Fame landing page (SEO-optimized)
SVG badge family and style sheet
3–5 case studies with verification links
Agency one-sheet and media kit
Short video reel (60–90 sec)
Data room with rights memo, sales reports, and festival letters

Final takeaways — why do this now?

In 2026, attention is abundant but trust is scarce. A well-executed Wall of Fame translates fragmented success into a compact, verifiable signal that agencies, buyers, and journalists can act on. The Orangery’s signing with WME underlines a simple truth: institutions prefer to engage with creators whose work is both visible and credibly certified.

Call to action

Ready to build a Wall of Fame that attracts agencies and converts recognition into deals? Start with a 30-minute audit: we'll map your existing signals, assemble a recognition taxonomy, and give you a 90-day execution plan tailored to your IP. Visit successes.live/wall-of-fame or contact our team to schedule your audit — and turn your creative wins into recognized, deal-ready assets.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.