1. Matt Nadler, Maddie Baldi, Rin Conley,
Sydney Title, & Mariela Esclusa

2. Brand History
● Home Box Office founded in 1972
● 1980 - introduced Cinemax
● 1983 - created Tri-Star Pictures movie
studios with Columbia pictures and CBS
● 1997 - HBO shows gained 90 Emmy
nominations
● 1999 - Soprano’s premiered; 111 Emmy
nomination in 6 seasons,21 wins
● 2001 - Released HBO On Demand, first
premium subscription video-on-demand
service
● 2002 - The Wire
● 2008 - True Blood
● 2010’s - Game of Thrones, Girls, True
Detective
Largest pay TV brand today with over
33 million subscribers

3. Competitors
● Previously about having movies
o MGM, Turner Classic
● Now, competition is about who
has the best original shows.
● Online streaming services.
o Netflix, Hulu PLUS, Amazon
Prime
● Pay TV
o Showtime, Starz, AMC

4. Strengths
● Brand recognition
● User friendly
● Original shows
● HBO Go online & app
● No outside advertising
● Diverse demographic
Weaknesses
● Needed membership
o Costs money
o Exclusivity
● No additional revenue from outside ads
● Censored content
Opportunities
● Options for only HBO Go
● International markets
● Licensing (Theme Parks?)
● Take advantage of diverse demographic
● Lots of brand goodwill
Threats
● Online streaming services
● iTunes
● No cable access
● Basic cable channels
● Pirating and illegally downloading

5. Alexandra - 27

6. ROBERT- 48

7. KATE - 19

8. NATE - 24

9. POSITIONING STATEMENT
For media consumers that are dissatisfied
with their TV services, HBO is a necessary
entertainment service for those who want
access to high quality, elite TV and movies.
Unlike other paid TV providers, we provide
a diverse selection of quality programming.

10. Creative Brief
Who are we talking to?
● Pay TV users who appreciate
innovative and elite TV
entertainment
● Young adults in college (19)
● Post grads living on their own (24)
● Parents of families (40-60)
Why?
● To stay relevant in an ever
expanding pay TV market
● To keep our existing customers
satisfied
● To maintain our brand image of
reliability and high quality

11. What is the
anticipated outcome?
● To stay ahead of our competitors
What are the
hurdles?
● Netflix and Amazon original
programming
● Illegal downloading of TV and
movies
● Free online TV viewing
● iTunes
Creative Brief

12. Creative Brief
What do we have to
leverage?
● Reputation - goodwill and
future income streams
● Multiple platforms - cable and
standalone (HBO Go)
How are we
different?
● Largest selection of different
genres of original programming
● Can appeal to a variety of
audiences
● Fewer limitations and censoring
than network TV

13. Creative Brief
Main thought to be
communicated
● HBO has a diverse selection
of quality programming
Tone & manner
● Sophisticated, entertaining, sleek
Positioning
● HBO is a necessary entertainment
service for those who want access
to good quality, elite TV and movies

14. Creative Brief
Consumer takeaway
● HBO is a wise investment for
pay TV because they have
programs that satisfy all TV
needs
Creative mandates
● Push HBO GO versatility and
availability (standalone in 2015)
● Diversity of programs
● Characters together - “hottest
invite in hollywood”

15. Below The Line Marketing
● HBO Connect Events list
● Game of Thrones: The Exhibition
● Live Q&As with various HBO
stars
● HBO Bryant Park Summer Film
Festival
● Cable provider deals
● Panels at Comic-Con
o True Blood
o Game of Thrones

16. Promotions
● #lifeisbutadream
● #VINETHELINE
● College Insta (what is this??)
● Girls apartment
● George R Martin will write a fan
into new script
● Viral tweets & hashtags
HBO Go Commercial

17. Performance Metrics
● Rated #1 domestic premium pay
television services
● Approximately 127 million HBO &
Cinemax premium pay and basic
cable subscribers worldwide
● 19 Primetime Emmy Awards in
2014
● Over 18 different services offered
● Game of Thrones Season 4 finale
had 7.1 million viewers

18. What would we do differently?
● Market HBO GO
standalone heavily
● More above the line
marketing
● Instant download (rental)
● Improve HBO GO
usability