Season four of the popular vampire drama True Blood premieres on HBO June 26. To celebrate, the network is teasing the season via an interactive Facebook app.
To access the app, visit the show’s Facebook Page, “Like” it, and navigate to the “Immortalize” tab. When you click on “Make Your Video,” the app will pull in info about you and your Facebook friends to make a personalized, Flash-based teaser in which you are the star. Your friends’ photos are integrated into missing persons’ files, as well as applications for exotic dancers, etc., and you become a mysterious assassin whose services the vampires decide to enlist.
After watching a version featuring random Facebook friends, you can create your own iteration of the teaser, including any friends you like. Check out mine here; I think you’ll recognize some faces and names. (Note: you have to “Like” True Blood on Facebook before you get to see the video.)
“Every time a video is viewed it essentially gets created and assembled in real time,” says Paul Hernacki, CTO of Definition 6, who worked with HBO on the project. “Behind the scenes we are using Facebook APIs, Google APIs, Bit.ly APIs, different forms of tagging, and a lot of thought into how it performs: cloud farms, CDN’s, and SaaS providers combined. It’s really chock full of Flash, After Effects, PHP and some open source goodness under the covers.”
Gil Wolchock, Definition 6‘s director of client services, says the project was inspired by a video promotion that came out last year titled “Lost in Val Sinestra”, an interactive trailer that pulls in your Facebook friends.
Wolchock says that the teaser itself was written by the True Blood team, and picks up where season three left off. Still, the teaser will live on Facebook alone.
“It’s a very rabid fan base,” Wolchock says of the show’s following. “Anything that comes up that’s True Blood-related, they soak that up. We wanted to give them something that they would not only watch once, but that they would share with their friends.”
The campaign was all about celebrating the fans last season, says Sabrina Caluori, director of social media and marketing at HBO. “We wanted to top that,” she says.
Last year, HBO had a 50-city screening event that fans could score tickets to by interacting with a Facebook app every six minutes and 13 seconds between 6:13 p.m. and 6:13 a.m. (vampire hours).
“What fans really want is to be a part of the show,” Caluori says of this year’s campaign. “[So the teaser] had to have the production quality that the series does. We really wanted to make sure that it felt like you were in the episode.”
Check out the app and let us know: Did HBO succeed?
More About: definition6, facebook, hbo, MARKETING, social media, television, true blood
For more Media coverage:
Premium cable network HBO soft-launched HBO Connect on Tuesday, a new “second screen” experience that aims to augment the social experience surrounding shows like True Blood, Game of Thrones and Entourage. The site is accessible now, but will launch more features in June as the summer season gets underway.
Sabrina Caluori, the director of marketing and social media at HBO, gave Mashable Connect attendees a sneak-peek at HBO Connect earlier this month. Along with the multi-platform HBO Go offering, HBO Connect helps flesh out the cable network’s digital plans.
HBO has dabbled with social initiatives and outreach campaigns in the past — including promotions with checkin service GetGlue. But HBO Connect is the best showing from the network to date, in terms of aggregating content and social options for users all in one place.
The site is dedicated into five key sections:
The HBO Connect homepage is the “Pulse” of the site. This page acts as a real-time hub for what HBO-related content is being shared and clicked on across the web.
The Feeds section is a customized Twitter listing from various programs, allowing users to browse streams, filter based on keywords, trending topics or related services and filter through specific users lists.
The Feeds page also provides users with quick access to GetGlue checkins, official Facebook and Twitter status updates, and videos from the YouTube channel. Users that are logged in to HBO Connect via Twitter (Facebook is another login option) can create their own tweets, retweet the tweets of others or send replies, all from the website.
Visualizers are interactive, dynamic visualizations of trending topics, keywords and hashtags. These topics can be moved around the screen. Users can hover over Twitter avatars to see their tweets on those topics.
For True Blood believers, HBO is doing a special microsite TBwithdrawal.com, which displays tweets with hashtags such as #tbwithdrawal and #waitingsucks in real-time.
The “Conversations” section has the potential to be the most interesting element of the site. These conversations will allow fans to interact with the people who work on the HBO shows themselves — both actors and creative talent — in live Q&A sessions and live Twitter commentaries.
HBO already has a bunch of conversations planned for the summer, including chats with Wendell Pierce from Treme, Thomas Jane from Hung, Janina Gavankar from True Blood and writers Jane Espenson (Game of Thrones) and documentarian Alexandra Pelosi.
What’s most compelling about these live commentaries and Q&A sessions is that they will be timed alongside replays of popular programming and archived for re-watching. In other words, users that want to catch up on a Twitter commentary with a costume designer or writer from their favorite show can do that alongside a rerun, instead of having to interrupt the flow of the show the first time it debuts.
At Mashable Connect, Sabrina Caluori explained that the inspiration for the Twitter commentaries came from Howard Stern. The self-proclaimed “king of all media” decided to live tweet a commentary of the movie, Private Parts as it aired on HBO one Saturday afternoon, a concept the folks at HBO thought was a great idea.
The “Connections” component of HBO Connect is a quick offering of the various ways users can interact and connect with various programs, movies and series on HBO. This includes fast links to blogs, Facebook and Twitter pages, GetGlue checkins, YouTube pages and more.
Right now, HBO Connect is a desktop-only experience. Caluori told us that the goal was to launch the desktop version first, see what fans like, and then look at bringing the most popular and effective features to other platforms.
Still, we can’t help but notice that the site — built by RED Interactive Agency — is perfectly aligned with the greater HBO.com and HBO Go brands. The colors, iconography and user experience is consistent across all the HBO properties, which makes us hopeful that this experience will come to the iPad and other platforms sooner rather than later.
It isn’t clear at this point if HBO is going allow the HBO Connect experience to sit atop HBO Go or if the two sites will remain separate experiences. We would like the have the option — at some point — to use the two in the same frame. Now that most HBO subscribers have access to so much content through the web browser, being able to turn on the social layer at will could be a real defining feature.
HBO hopes that programs like HBO Connect will keep viewers engaged even when their favorite shows aren’t on the air. We think it’s a good start.
HBO Connect is still in beta and we expect the service and features to evolve and improve over time. Still, we have to say we’re impressed with the hard work the network has put into the app. The social experience and network connections feel natural. It’s a nice way to approach social without potentially irritating your viewers — viewers that in HBO’s case, pay a monthly subscription fee for the service.
More About: connected devices, getglue, hbo, HBO Connect, HBO GO, social tv, television, tv
For more Media coverage:
Starting next month, HBO subscribers will be able to access streaming content via iOS and Android devices.
The premium cable network started running teaser advertisements for its HBO GO iOS and Android apps earlier this month. The latest spot touts “instant and unlimited access” to “every episode of every season of your favorite HBO shows.”
HBO launched the browser-based component of its HBO GO streaming service in February 2010. Select cable customers can access online HBO content by visiting HBOGo.com. Comcast Xfinity customers can also access HBO content via the Xfinity TV website and On-Demand iOS apps.
Rumors of an iOS-compatible app date back to August 2010. In the past eight months, not only has the iPad become a bona fide hit with consumers, it is quickly being embraced by broadcast and cable networks to sell a “second-screen” experience.
Cable companies including Verizon, Comcast, Cablevision and Time Warner all have iPad apps available to offer users access to on-demand or live access to select networks and programming.
HBO GO is part of HBO’s overall digital strategy, which aims to keep its product exclusive, while still offering flexibility for subscribers. Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes has refused to license HBO premium content to Netflix, in part because he sees the service as potentially devaluing content.
In January, HBO’s VP of corporate affairs, Jeff Cusson, told The Hollywood Reporter that “HBO believes in content exclusivity, especially for high-value content. That’s our rationale for not selling streaming rights to a competing subscription service.”
As a lifelong HBO subscriber, I can understand the network’s position. HBO is one of the few networks that, for me, makes subscribing to cable worthwhile.
While we don’t anticipate HBO licensing its content to Netflix (without some serious negotiations), we see an HBO GO iOS and Android app as one of the final steps before the network makes its content available to subscribers sans a cable subscription.
HBO GO for iOS and Android is expected to become available May 2.
[via Android apps, hbo, HBO GO, iOS apps, ipad apps, streaming media
For more Media coverage:
Netflix is in serious talks to exclusively distribute an original TV series by David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, taking it into uncharted territory that would put it in direct competition with HBO and the other premium cable channels.
The DVD rental and video streaming service is trying to get its hands on a remake of the classic UK political drama House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher (director of The Social Network). The duo have been shopping the series to channels like HBO, Showtime and AMC, but Netflix is committed to two seasons’ worth of the show (26 episodes), according to Deadline.com. It’s an usual move; most networks require a pilot to be produced before committing to even one season of a TV show.
The news has since been confirmed by WSJ, Reuters and others. It’s unclear how much the deal could be worth; Deadline estimates that Netflix could dish out $100 million for the show, but most sources say the number is much lower.
The deal, if it closes, would mark the first time Netflix has paid for exclusive distribution rights to a major TV show. With talent like Spacey and Fincher, it’s not hard to imagine the House of Cards remake garnering mainstream appeal and attention.
Netflix, the TV Network
The mere fact that Netflix is seriously bidding for an original TV show radically changes the already-shaky dynamic of the entertainment landscape.
Netflix and the studios have a rough relationship; while Netflix provides millions in revenue to the studios, it’s also (rightly) perceived as a rising competitor that siphons subscribers from cable TV and reduces DVD sales, especially as more people turn to on-demand video streaming. Time Warner, the owner of HBO, especially dislikes Netflix.
Still, despite the growing discomfort between the media conglomorates and Netflix, the DVD rental service has never owned its own content; it has licensed movies and TV shows from others in multi-million dollar deals that the networks and studios could justify.
Now it’s clear that Netflix is getting into the original content distribution game. Netflix has essentially showed its hand; it’s evolving from DVD rental service to a full-fledged network, complete with licensed and original content. It’s not hard to imagine people choosing Netflix over an HBO subscription, especially if it has a good stable of shows exclusive to its streaming video platform.
Let’s be clear: Netflix isn’t anywhere close to being competitive to ABC, CBS or the major networks. Its 20 million subscriber base simply doesn’t have the reach of Fox or NBC. However, the pay-for-access cable channels had better watch out, because it may only take a few more original shows for Netflix to make them obsolete.
More About: david fincher, hbo, house of cards, Kevin Spacey, Live Stream, netflix, Opinion, Showtime, time warner
For more Video coverage:Follow Mashable Video on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Video channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
Netflix is in talks to exclusively distribute an original TV series by David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, taking it into uncharted territory that would put it in direct competition with HBO and other premium cable channels.
The DVD rental and video streaming service is trying to get its hands on a remake of the classic U.K. political drama House of Cards, starring Spacey and directed by Fincher (director of The Social Network). The duo have been shopping the series to channels like HBO, Showtime and AMC, but Netflix is committed to two seasons’ worth of the show (26 episodes), according to Deadline.com. It’s an usual move; most networks require a pilot to be produced before committing to even one season of a TV show.
The news has since been confirmed by The Wallstreet Journal, Reuters and others. It’s unclear how much the deal could be worth; Deadline estimates Netflix could dish out $100 million for the show, but most sources say the number is much lower.
The deal, if it closes, would mark the first time Netflix has paid for exclusive distribution rights to a major TV show. With talent like Spacey and Fincher, it’s not hard to imagine the House of Cards remake garnering mainstream appeal and attention.
Netflix, the TV Network
The mere fact that Netflix is bidding for an original TV show radically changes the already-shaky dynamic of the entertainment landscape.
Netflix and the studios have a rough relationship; while Netflix provides millions in revenue to the studios, it’s also (rightly) perceived as a rising competitor that siphons subscribers from cable TV and reduces DVD sales, especially as more people turn to on-demand video streaming. Time Warner, the owner of HBO, especially dislikes Netflix.
Still, despite the growing discomfort between the media conglomorates and Netflix, the DVD rental service has never owned content; it has licensed movies and TV shows from others in multi-million dollar deals that the networks and studios could justify.
Now it’s clear that Netflix is getting into original content distribution. Netflix has essentially showed its hand; it’s evolving from DVD rental service to a full-fledged network, complete with licensed and original content. It’s not hard to imagine people choosing Netflix over an HBO subscription, especially if it has a good stable of shows exclusive to its streaming video platform.
Let’s be clear: Netflix isn’t anywhere close to being competitive to ABC, CBS or the major networks. Its 20 million subscriber base simply doesn’t have the reach of Fox or NBC. However, the pay-for-access cable channels had better watch out, because it may only take a few more original shows for Netflix to make them obsolete.
More About: david fincher, hbo, house of cards, Kevin Spacey, Live Stream, netflix, Opinion, Showtime, time warner, trending
For more Video coverage:Follow Mashable Video on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Video channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
Kenny Powers, the foul-mouthed antihero from HBO’s Eastbound and Down, will shill for K-Swiss again, this time for a Facebook-centered March Madness promotion.
Tournageddon, as the program is known, will let K-Swiss and Powers fans fill out their NCAA Basketball Tournament picks with input from Powers. Fans are directed to Yahoo’s Tourney Pick ‘Em group to make their selections before the March 17 tipoff of the tournament’s first game.
Throughout the tourney, Powers, played by Danny McBride, will offer his own, likely crude assessments of each team via K-Swiss’s Facebook Page. Powers will also offer “Powers Challenges” — training-based wagers on individual games. For instance, a group member can challenge another member to sprints based on the outcome of a single game. Powers will recognize the winners and losers.
K-Swiss’s program comes after the footwear brand announced its affiliation with the Powers character via a FunnyorDie video featuring Powers/McBride making outrageous demands for his endorsement of K-Swiss’s Tubes shoe.
The Powers linkup, engineered by ad agency 72andSunny, is a recent example of a marketer concluding that alienating a portion of the audience is OK as long as the brand inspires passion. Miracle Whip, a Kraft brand that also had a fairly benign image, is attempting to evoke a similar reaction with a new campaign featuring the Jersey Shore‘s Pauly D dissing the brand.
“We try to make sure the humor is put in front of the right people in the right places,” says Chris Kyle, the vice president of marketing for K-Swiss, who adds that the affiliation has surprised a lot of people. “If anything, the goal is to been seen as a brand with a little more spark and a little more sense of humor,” he says. “The connection has been very positive.”
More About: advertising, FunnyorDie, hbo, K-Swiss, march madness, MARKETING
For more Business & Marketing coverage:Follow Mashable Business & Marketing on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business & Marketing channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
