TRUE [BLOOD] CREATIVE BRILLIANCE

Today, I’m writing on a topic that is true to the mission of EP2.0, which is celebrating the brilliance in creativity, innovation and forward thinking in entertainment.  This could not be more TRUE, than with the current campaign created for the launch of the new season of TRUE BLOOD.  Brilliance is all I can say.  While I’m not sure if they generated any incremental revenue, the creative team at Digital Kitchen created a co-branded program that partnered with top brands to be part of the TRUE BLOOD campaign.  This truly shows how a network (HBO) and a risky/edgy show like TRUE BLOOD can still find a way to integrate brands via this off network promotional program…once again, brilliance.

Digital Kitchen is the creative shop that has worked with Alan Ball on Six Feet Under and other projects and was initially hired to do the new main title sequence for TRUE BLOOD season two. DK approached HBO with a proposal to do a groundbreaking campaign for season two designed to share the fun, campy, twisted nature of the show itself. 

The idea we had was based on the conceit that if vampires are living among us, why can’t they be marketed to just like any other demographic? HBO loved this thought and the original  layouts which showed a host of well-known brands, all hawking their vampire wares.  The only concern HBO had was if this could be pulled off. 

No fears for the DK team, they approached some major brands who quickly fell in line to be part of the campaign.  They thought they could get 2-3 brands, but after cold calling, and in a matter of weeks they were able to secure six brands: Geico, Monster, Mini, Harley-Davidson, Gillette, and Mark Ecko. The next step was to ensure they were on-strategy and on-brand with these partners. The closer to their “real” advertising they could get, the more disrupting the campaign would be. They worked with each of the key marketing people to make sure they were aligned perfectly both in terms of strategy but also in terms of their brand guidelines. Not an easy process when all of a sudden you have 7 clients instead of 1.

The result was a campaign, carried out in multiple mediums, including print, outdoor and online, that really got people thinking.  This is one of the biggest shows in HBO history, thus it needed a BIG idea for promoting tune-in.  Hats off to the team at Digital Kitchen for creating such a unique, clever and consumer “disrupting” campaign.  I’m sure they will be filling their shelves with awards.  That’s all for now.  For more on the team behind EP2.0, please visit www.multibrain.net, and feel free to pick our brains.