Advertising can be a bloody nightmare, especially if HBO has anything to do with it. The broadcaster is behind a selection of faux adverts aimed at generating publicity for the second season of vampire series True Blood about to be screened on HBO.
It convinced household brands such as Mini, Gillette and Harley Davidson to roll out adverts with a gothic twist. All brands targeted were big, iconic advertisers that were felt to be a good fit with the True Blood series.
Mini showed a Count Dracula clone leaning out of the car window; Harley Davidson encouraged vampires to “outrun the sun” and Gillette went with the strapline ‘Dead Sexy’. Perhaps the most innovative was job site Monster’s: ‘If you sleep in a coffin, it’s easy to think outside the box’.
HBO says the campaign works because the adverts are not what you would expect from these brands – it catches people by surprise. Each advert gave a unique URL that directed traffic straight onto the True Blood website.
HBO also bought up Bloodcopy.com, a website loaded with all things gothic, from Campfire last year. Fans of the True Blood will be able to interact and watch specially created videos promoting the series on the site.
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