HBO has successfully transitioned from being solely dependent on advertising revenue as a cable network to establishing itself as a premium content brand funded by subscriber fees. This allowed HBO to produce riskier, higher quality shows defined by their strong narratives, complex characters, social commentary and explicit content. HBO pioneered innovative marketing campaigns like those for True Blood that generated buzz and engaged fans online to establish brand loyalty. Moving forward, HBO is exploring new revenue opportunities like digital product placement and leveraging celebrities and second screens to enhance viewer engagement.

1. “If you‟re not paying for television,
you‟re not the customer,
you‟re the product”
Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner (mother company of HBO)

2. Before…
Consumer Advertiser Network

3. “Shows are delivery vehicles
for advertising”
June Thomas, Slate.com

4. “The major networks all race to buy
scripts and produce 10 to 20 pilots
each on the same timeline, hustling to
get pilots made in the weeks before
big annual presentations to advertisers
in the Spring, when they show off the
ones they have picked up for airing”
Amol Sharma and Keach Hagey, The Wall Street Journal

5. Now...
Consumer Advertiser Network
Subscriber Premium Cable Network
Subscriber Hulu, Netflix, Ono TV… Network, cable network

6. What if service providers want to become producers?

7. Marketing TV
shows
Quality TV format
Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981-1987) The X files (Fox, 1993-2002)
They lost interest in the family and aimed at:
 1 hour long episodes
 Target audience 18-49: “low rating + right viewers”
 Niche markets, smart spectators
 White collar workers willing to try new products

8. Marketing TV
shows
Quality TV format
Oz (1997-2003) Sex and the city(1998-2004)
 In the 1980s, with the advent of the VHS, HBO decided to produce its own content. By
2001, 30-40% of their programs were self-produced
 28.7 million subscriber in the USA. 60 million worldwide
 Premium Cable. Funded via subscribers. No advertising
 1) FCC Regulations do not apply to them, 2) Advertisers cannot interfere
 Sex, male frontal nudity, violence, bad language…
HBO
“It‟s not TV,
it‟s HBO”
The Sopranos (1999-2007)

9. The social Buzz: the control of the cultural conversation

10. Marketing TV
shows
Content Branding
1. Author branding
2. Place branding
3. Network branding

11. Marketing TV
shows
Content Branding
Author
Branding
David Simon
Joss Whedon
Alan Ball

12. Marketing TV
shows
Content Branding
Place
Branding
Nordic countries
UK

13. Marketing TV
shows
Content Branding
Network
Branding
Violence
Women
Sex
Social criticism

14. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
True Blood
http://yokedesign.com.au/blog/online-marketing-done-right-the-case-of-hbo-true-blood/
Phase 1. Generating intrigue
“The marketing campaign was set
up as a prequel to the actual TV
series and was started off by
targeting some of the top horror
bloggers in the U.S.
They all received anonymous
packages by mail with „blood‟
samples in them, accompanied by
a cryptic message and a URL
pointing to BloodCopy.com”

15. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 2. Expanding the
campaign
“Passers by on the streets might
have noticed the posters
advertising a synthetic blood
drink Tru Blood, only these
advertisements were aimed at
vampires, not humans”

16. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 3. Revealing the purpose
“traditional marketing campaign that exposed the real purpose behind all the buzz”

17. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
True Blood
Phase 4. Maintaining interest
“Specifically, HBO, with the help of True
Blood fans, created a full vampire universe
around the show. The main element in their
strategy has been a very active online
presence, with special emphasis on
encouraging fan-generated content”

18. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Game of
Thrones
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/03/game_of_thrones_how_hbo_and_showtime_make_money_despite_low_ratings_.2.html

23. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Girls

27. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Girls

28. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Girls

29. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Girls

30. Marketing TV
shows
Advertising
Campaigns
Girls

31. Marketing TV
shows
New horizons
Digital
Product
Placement
Estrella Galicia – ABC deal

32. Marketing TV
shows
New horizons
Digital
Product
Placement
Pros:
1. The advertiser can pre-visualize the narrative and
the scene in order to select the most convenient
spot
2. The TV show can vary its product placement
depending on the country or target group
3. The negotiation process between the advertiser
and the network can be prolonged until the airing
of the episode

33. Marketing TV
shows
New horizons
Celebrities,
bloggers
and
second
screens