1984, but in 2024: Alphabetical on its atmospheric campaign for Audible’s all-star cast audiobook

For anyone who’s read and enjoyed George Orwell’s 1984 – a dystopian, seminal piece of work by the English writer – Audible’s audio-drama interpretation of the iconic tale promises to be both a literary and visual treat. A literary treat because Orwell’s story, which touches upon themes of totalitarianism, privacy and surveillance, feels just as relevant today as when it was first published, offering fresh food for thought. And a visual treat thanks to the immersive world crafted by London-based design agency Alphabetical for the release of the audiobook. Starring a stellar cast including Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott and Tom Hardy, the story follows the protagonist Winston Smith and his increasing reservations against the ruling Party in London and its leader, Big Brother. What follows is a cautionary tale about a society where personal freedom is non-existent. The story, which has lost none of its potency since it was first published in 1949, has been told and retold over the years, so both for Audible and Alphabetical, the audiobook and its branding had to “venture in a new direction,” says Creative Director Bob Young. “We knew the audio-drama was ambitiously cinematic in scale, but why was this version different from the others? Why is it relevant now, and why should people listen? This is where we started, and we quickly began to circle the core themes of information, surveillance, and identity, as well as the inescapable connection the characters have to the telescreens,” Young tells us. The telescreens he talks about are a two-way television mentioned in the book that functioned as a surveillance tool for the Party. “This holds up a clear mirror to our current screen-dependent and information-hungry society. We knew that centring our concept around these themes could make the audience think further about why 1984 is more relevant than ever,” adds Young.