The Ultimate Party
Integrated Marketing Campaign
This portfolio project is a creative exercise based on a real company, HBO, but it is purely for educational and entertainment purposes.
It was completed as a group effort, with the sections below representing my individual work and creative input in developing a marketing campaign concept for HBO.
Objectives
The Destination Ahead
Objective 1
HBO would like to increase favorable attitude towards the brand from consumers with disposable income by at least 15% within 1 month after the release of our ad campaign.
Benchmark Measure:
Brand Perception: Measure of how favorably people view your brand.
To meet this objective, we will focus on what the message is and how we deliver our message because we want to eliminate any miscommunication. In other words, we want to minimize the noise interferences within our communication process.
Objective 2
HBO would like to increase social media impressions from consumers aged 18 – 49 by at least 10% within 2 weeks after the release of our ad campaign.
Benchmark Measure:
Impressions: Total number of times the campaign was viewed.
To meet this objective, we will be distributing our ad on every social media channel where our target market is largely present. We will also increase our engagement with our audience by encouraging them to react and respond to the ad. We can add captions that start conversations and respond to accounts that repost and tag us.
Objective 3
HBO would like to increase the percentage of streaming service consumers that recall 4 or more HBO Originals by at least 10% within 1 month after the release of our ad campaign.
Benchmark Measure:
Recall: Measures how well consumers can accurately identify HBO Original shows without us giving any help.
To meet this objective, we are using our message to ensure our audience knows we have a variety of high-quality originals so that they have plenty of choices. In doing so we establish several of the popular shows and want our viewers to develop further interest in looking into all our originals and watching for themselves.
Project Overview
Campaign Landscape
For our campaign we have decided to use a combination of paid, owned, and earned media to achieve our campaign objectives. We will be distributing our campaign among HBO’s owned media. This will include HBO’s social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Using these platforms, we can encourage a conversation around our ad and invite viewers to engage with our posts to gain earned media. We will also use paid media by promoting our ad to gain more attention and reach more of our target audience as well as future potential audiences. These social media channels will be effective because our target audience has a heavy presence within each.
We would also display our ad through digital out-of-home advertising like digital billboards. We would use our knowledge of our current consumers’ geographics and our ideal target market for this ad campaign, to decide which larger cities/places would be the best investment. Using DOOH advertising will be effective because it will increase the ad visibility as it will be placed in areas of high traffic to reach a larger audience.
We have chosen each of these channels because used simultaneously, they will generate an increase with our overall brand awareness and help accomplish our set objectives for this ad campaign.
Problem
The problem is that HBO’s current marketing strategy, which focuses on promoting specific shows, doesn’t effectively communicate the variety of content available on their streaming service compared to competitors like Netflix and Amazon Prime. While HBO has the third-highest number of shows and movies among streaming platforms, they don’t promote this fact well, leading to a misconception that they have less content than they actually do.
Solution
To address this issue, the recommendation is to highlight the variety of options available on HBO Max in advertisements and social media posts, while still continuing to promote individual shows.
Results
Objective 1
To measure the thoughts and attitude towards our campaign we can use the cognitive response model to better examine the responses from our audience by allowing them to express their reactions to viewing, hearing, and reading our campaign. One way this can be done is through conducting surveys within our target market. Attitudes based on our campaign are directly affected by the attitudes of our overall brand.To measure the thoughts and attitude towards our campaign we can use the cognitive response model to better examine the responses from our audience by allowing them to express their reactions to viewing, hearing, and reading our campaign. One way this can be done is through conducting surveys within our target market. Attitudes based on our campaign are directly affected by the attitudes of our overall brand.
Objective 2
To measure the increase in social media impressions, we would use KPIs and insights. We can use each social media platform’s dashboard to see the accounts we reached, content interactions, audience insight, and more depending on the platform. We can then compare the data from before releasing our ad to how it changed by the 2 week point after posting it.
Objective 3
To measure this, we can perform marketing research. Surveys would be one great way to measure the results such as focus groups. Focus groups would allow us to select a sample from a population of our consumers and use unaided and aided recall questions. Unaided and aided recall can also be measured without having to use a focus group. Either way, if we perform the same test before the ad and after the ad for up to 1 month, we can compare and determine a percentage increase.
When testing samples of streaming service consumers, we will include measures such as the speed at which the recall is initiated, the rate of customer responses, and the accuracy of the recall.
Message Strategy
The Blueprint
Source
For our campaign we plan on using multiple sources. Our sources will be the characters from various HBO Originals. We are looking for characters that have strong personalities, unique characteristics, and a diverse range of backgrounds. The characters should also have an appeal to a wide audience, be memorable, and have an appropriate tone for the commercial. Using celebrities will increase our messages’ persuasiveness and attract more attention. Adding the fact that these celebrities also play characters from HBOs popular content will improve our ad recall as viewers will recognize their favorite celebrity from the shows they enjoy. Many of the popular shows including Euphoria and Game of Thrones have a loyal fan base so our source will capture the attention of those fan bases. Additionally, if our target audience is not already watching those popular shows, they may recognize the celebrity and be influenced to then begin watching them.
Below are examples of characters from HBO Original shows and why they could work well in this campaign. Each of these characters have a strong presence and reputation, can easily transition from one platform to another, and embody different aspects of the HBO brand.
Source Examples
Characters that embody the HBO brand
Characters that have a strong connection to the HBO brand are those that represent the values and ideals of the company, such as creativity, quality, and entertainment. Examples include:
- Daenerys Targaryen from “Game of Thrones”
- Lizzo from “Lizzos documentary”
Memorable HBO Original characters
Memorable characters are those that stick with viewers after the show or movie ends. This can be achieved through their look, their catchphrases, or their actions. Examples include:
- Fez from “Euphoria”
- Tanya from “The White Lotus”
Relatable HBO Original characters
Relatable characters are ones that viewers can easily identify with, such as those that display a range of types of emotions and have complex motivations and personalities. Examples include:
- Rue from “Euphoria”
Message
The main message of our campaign will be to highlight HBO’s differentiating factors from competitors. Our selling point, which is unique from competitors, is the variety of high quality and original content that is available with HBO. In delivering our message we will use language that is consistent throughout our ad and fully understandable within our target market. We also aim to create a cohesive message that reads well across every channel we use. Focusing on these aspects within our message can allow for less noise between our chosen source and the receiver. If there is less noise, our ad will be more effective at influencing our target audience.
Channels
For our campaign we have decided to use a combination of paid, owned, and earned media to achieve our campaign objectives. We will be distributing our campaign among HBO’s owned media. This will include HBO’s social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Using these platforms, we can encourage a conversation around our ad and invite viewers to engage with our posts to gain earned media. We will also use paid media by promoting our ad to gain more attention and reach more of our target audience as well as future potential audiences. These social media channels will be effective because our target audience has a heavy presence within each.
We would also display our ad through digital out-of-home advertising like digital billboards. We would use our knowledge of our current consumers’ geographics and our ideal target market for this ad campaign, to decide which larger cities/places would be the best investment. Using DOOH advertising will be effective because it will increase the ad visibility as it will be placed in areas of high traffic to reach a larger audience.
We have chosen each of these channels because used simultaneously, they will generate an increase with our overall brand awareness and help accomplish our set objectives for this ad campaign.
Target
The target of the marketing strategy will include the HBO logo, show logos, the color purple, and the famous introduction sound when an HBO original starts. Using the HBO logo will be very important for the target audience to think of HBO when they’re watching the ad. Including the logos of the shows such as “Game of Thrones” and “Euphoria” next to the HBO logo will help create a connection between the two, so when one is thought of, the other is as well. Next, we will make sure the advertisement is purple. This is because the website used for HBO Max is purple, and color identification among streaming services is one of the first things that comes to mind. Hulu does this very well with the color lime green. Even though their color is a more recognizable color than HBO’s, they could learn from this technique. We want to create a relationship between the color purple and HBO Max as a service. This will improve the memory retention of the product. Last, we want to target using HBO’s famous sound. They open all the shows and movies on their site with the quick sound of an old television set turning on. We will put this sound and logo at the beginning of our ads, so the audience connects the ad to the service right when it starts.
Mockups & Imagery
Creative Showcase
Storyboard
Mockups
Campaign Execution
Bringing Ideas to Life
Commercial Description
Characters from popular HBO originals will exit their own doors (which are labeled with the show/movie name and are essentially the way into their show) to enter a common building. The building represents the platform where the shows are distributed (i.e., The television, internet, etc.). The hallway characters first enter is full of doors in which are all labeled with the HBO Originals and at the end of the hall is “HBarO” which is a bar to represent HBO as a platform. The characters all make their way to the HBarO as they leave their shows (doors showing entrance to their shows). Characters will be conversating with the other characters they came with out of show or with themselves while making their way to the bar. As more characters join bar, we see variety of characters from various shows in one place conversating. Throughout commercial, viewers will notice characters saying famous lines from the shows that are recognizable. All these different characters will be hanging out, becoming friends, and be shown having fun while meeting each other. Ending will close out with zoom into one of the tv screens within the HBarO. On the tv that is being zoomed in on is the HBO logo surrounded by all the logos for HBO originals.
For our storyboard we have shown four different shows coming together (possibility for more to be added later). Euphoria is the first show represented with Fez and Rue being the characters that enter and make their way to HBarO. Game of Thrones is the second show represented with Khaleesi and her dragon(s). The third and fourth show are White Lotus with Tanya and Lizzo’s documentary with Lizzo herself.
SCEne details
SCENE 1-4: Opening animation for HBO with audio logo.
SCENE 5: Hues of purple for the walls. and Euphoria show logo on entryway door. Characters from Euphoria (dressed in clothes/hair/makeup that is recognizable) emerge from door. Characters chatter.
SCENE 6: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Close up shot from behind with continue chatter.
SCENE 7: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Wide shot from behind with cont. chatter.
SCENE 8: Hues of purple for the walls. HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria and GOT conversing.
SCENE 9: Hues of purple for the walls and Game of Thrones show logo on entryway door. Character from GOT (Dressed in clothes/ hair/makeup that’s recognizable) emerge from door. Characters chatter. CGI dragon – 1 or 3
SCENE 10: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Wide shot from behind with continue chatter.
SCENE 11: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Close up shot from behind with continue chatter.
SCENE 12: Hues of purple for the walls. HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria and GOT conversing.
SCENE 13: Hues of purple for the walls and White Lotus show logo and Lizzo documentary logo on entryway door. Characters from White Lotus and Lizzo (Dressed in clothes/hair/ makeup that is recognizable) emerge from door. Characters chatter.
SCENE 14: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Wide shot from behind with continue chatter.
SCENE 15: Hues of purple for the walls and HBarO sign in front of characters whilst walking forward. Close up shot from behind with continue chatter.
SCENE 16: Hues of purple for the walls HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria, GOT, White Lotus, and Lizzo conversing.
SCENE 17: Hues of purple for the walls HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed, and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria and Lizzo conversing.
SCENE 18: Hues of purple for the walls HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from GOT and White Lotus conversing.
SCENE 19: Hues of purple for the walls HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria, GOT, White Lotus, and Lizzo conversing and dancing. Lizzo on bar.
SCENE 20: Hues of purple for the walls HBarO sign on wall. HBO logo and HBO original shows and movie logos displayed and alternating on the tv screens. Characters from Euphoria, GOT, White Lotus, and Lizzo conversing and dancing. Lizzo on bar while the other characters start to accompany her, starting with Tanya of White Lotus.
SCENE 21: Zoom in to HBO logo displayed on tv screen in HBarO. Logos of HBO original shows/movies start to surround HBO logo.
Creative Direction
Source(s)
- Zendaya Á “Rue” from Euphoria
- Angus Cloud as “Fez” from Euphoria
- Emilia Clarke as “Daenery’s Targaryen or Khaleesi” from Game of Thrones
- Jennifer Coolidge as “Tanya” from White Lotus
- Lizzo as herself from Lizzo’s documentary
- Actors will remain in character and act as their characters would in their shows.
- Actors will be dressed as their characters in the show portrayed
- Add more characters from other popular HBO original shows if available
Set Design
- Hues of purple for the walls/doors to represent the HBO color
- HBO logo turned into the HBarO sign
- Signs with logos of HBO original shows/movies above every door
- Doors and hallways into characters shows/movies to be decorated as would be on set of the actual shows
Animations/sounds
- Opening animation for HBO with logo sound of crackling old tv used in beginning.
- HBO logo with HBO originals to be playing in bar, will become louder as characters get closer to bar.
- Music and theme songs from HBO Originals to be playing in bar, will become louder as
characters get closer to bar.
Imagery represents
- Doors characters first exit (labeled with the show/movie name): This is essentially the entrance into the characters show/homes.
- Hallway/building characters first enter: the platform where the shows are distributed (i.e., The television, internet, etc.)
- HBarO: HBO as a platform
- For better understanding of idea: like airports (which would represent the common building characters enter) how there are different terminals (which would represent the doors to the shows) and inside the airport there are also different bars/restaurants (which would represent the HBarO)
Alternative Creative Direction
Characters enter one huge room instead of a hallway that leads to a bigger room. As soon as they enter this huge room, we see multiple bars with HBarO being center and on the left and right, there are bars to represent competitors of HBO. HBarO would have sign to say that they have “high quality drinks” while other bars mention how many different options they have. Would have HBO original characters for focus and use background actors to subtly represent characters from competitors shows at the HBarO too, instead of their own bar. Characters will choose HBarO because they want quality over quantity. Just as HBO gives its viewers Quality shows/movies and competitors may have high quantity, there quality is lacking.