THOMAS VANDER SCHAAF'S NMDL FINAL: HBO MARKETING STRATEGY

1. ONLINE MARKETING
STRATEGY
THOMAS VANDER SCHAAF
NMDL FINAL PROJECT

2. HBO Past Slogans
• 1972-1975 (original): “This is HBO: Th Home Box Office
• 1992-1993: “We’re HBO”
• 1996-2009: “It’s not TV it’s HBO”
• Current: “It’s HBO”
• Proposed slogan: “HBO: Honest But Outrageous”
• Advantages to new slogan: Reinforce who HBO is as a
brand; and what makes it the best network anywhere on
television.

3. Why the slogan works
• Two most essential themes to
good television: familiarity
(‘honest’) & entertainment
(‘outrageous’)
• HBO has earned the right to
have direct slogans like “It’s
HBO” but lets get back to
defining what the ‘it’s’ stands for.
• People like to be reminded of
themselves while watching; so
let’s continue to give them
flawed but realistic characters.

4. Current marketing pros
• HBO’s mobile viewing service (HBO GO)
is excellent. Free mobile access to
subscribers anywhere, anytime
• Every episode of every season, can’t get
anymore expansive
• HBO is available in over 50 countries and
has a strong international brand recognition
outside of the USA

5. Current marketing cons
• HBO usually does pretty
well with SEO, however:
• The first search page on
google includes mostly
only generic HBO links.
Like links to the main
sites and shows within
the main website.
• Including more
expansive links such as
info on ‘HBO Go
Service’ and their
international entities
might be more
advantageous.

6. Proposed new
components
• Enhance (or create) each • HBO’s main characters are
show’s official blog: Most all flawed, relatable, and
HBO programs don’t even realistic.
have an HBO sponsored
blog • Lets make them even more
realistic by making ‘official’
• People enjoy reading twitter accounts for all the
recaps/analyses of what characters. Thus bringing
they just watched them to life even more.
• Create a blog for each • Who wouldn’t want to
show that is updated follow Larry David,Vinny
constantly with a rich, in- Chase, or Kenny Powers?
depth breakdown of the
most recent episode • You can always expand!

7. Proposed new
components cont.
• Expand your demographics!
• Make HBO more affordable to
the middle class by offering a
cheaper, alternate plan for mobile
units. .
• Most people (of all classes) have a
computer, smart phone, tablet
etc. that is capable of supporting
HBO programming.
• Could be “pretty good!”

8. Metrics of Success
Increase in viewers from More alternate subscription
diverse demographics plans
Programs and characters
becoming buzzed about Increased user feedback
“trending topics”
More frequent user
More Google “hits” interactivity (blogs, forums
etc.)

9. TIMELINE
• It’s important to continue to take advantage of the lack of
programming competition in the summertime.
• 1.) Create online buzz about the dramas of the upcoming
seasons (Spring)
• 2.) Season Premieres (early summer)
• 3.) Maintain updated blogs after each new episode to keep
people hooked and informed (summer)
• 4.) Have each show’s/character’s twitter accounts up to date and
reflective of what’s going on in the show that season (summer)
• 5.) Create buzz about the season finale’s (late summer)
• 6.) Repeat cycle for success!

10. $BUDGET$
• Enhanced blogs will generate more revenue
and viewership
• Thus making alternate (cheaper) packages
more economical and sensible for the
company
• The expansion of programming in social
media should increase ad revenues as well.