HBO to Make New Comedy Series Flight of The Conchords Available Online and Provides First Ever Chance For Users to Legally Share Full Episode
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK, NY - This week, HBO in conjunction with the interactive advertising agency Deep Focus, launched an online marketing campaign to debut the pilot episode of the highly anticipated new comedy series, Flight of The Conchords. Beginning on May 15th and up through the series premiere on June 17th, the entire 30 minute episode will be available online. Additionally, in an HBO first, the episode will be portable via codes that allow users to embed the episode on blogs, websites, and social networking profiles.
The campaign launched with an exclusive MySpace partnership from May 15th -21st, with the episode featured on the Flight of The Conchords MySpace page (www.myspace.com/hboflight) and promoted throughout the MySpace network including the MySpace homepage, MySpace Comedy and MySpace Video sections.
The user experience will expand beyond the week-long MySpace initiative when consumers are directed to HBO's website (www.hbo.com/conchords) to stream and view the full episode. In addition to the stream on HBO.com, users will also have the ability to access the full episode on a number of video sharing sites, content providers and download services.
"It was our desire to make Flight of The Conchords available to the masses via multiple platforms and to let the content move virally," said Courteney Monroe, senior vice president, Consumer Marketing. "Working with our interactive agency Deep Focus, we've been able to identify and execute engaging online experiences that resonate with consumers."
The new series Flight of The Conchords revolves around the adventures of the transplanted New Zealand music-comedy duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, who live on New York City's Lower East Side. Splitting their time between seeking venues where they can perform and awkwardly courting women they meet on the street or at parties, the duo sometimes finds it easier to express through music - and are apt to break into song at a moment's notice. The executive producers of Flight of The Conchords are Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, James Bobin, Troy Miller and Stu Smiley; co-executive producer, Tracey Baird; consulting producer, Paul Simms. Co-created by James Bobin, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, the 12-episode first season debuts June 17 (10:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.
Deep Focus CEO Ian Schafer remarked, "Technology has conditioned us to demand entertainment on our own terms. At the same time, social networks, blogs, and other forms of communication have combined to create the largest peer-referral network ever. When we consume quality content, we inherently want others to share in the joy. HBO's commitment to quality and the development of unique interactive experiences made this effort possible. By working with HBO to not only distribute this content but give audiences the tools to share it, we are creating momentum that will carry this series to the success it is destined to achieve."
Online partners in the sharing and distribution of Flight of The Conchords include the following sites: MySpace, iTunes, Yahoo TV, MeeVee, iFilm, Superdeluxe, Blip TV, Movielink, and the affiliate broadband sites Comcast.net and Time Warner Cable/Roadrunner.com.
About HBO
Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., providing two 24-hour pay television services - HBO and Cinemax - to over 40 million U.S. subscribers. The services offer the most popular subscription video on demand products, HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand, as well as multiplex channels and HD feeds. Internationally the subscription video on demand products HBO On Demand and HBO Mobile, along with branded joint ventures, bring HBO services to over 50 countries. HBO programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.
About Deep Focus
Deep Focus (www.deep-focus.net) develops impactful online advertising campaigns, effective cross-media advertising strategies, buzz-generating websites, integrated promotions, groundbreaking PR & grassroots marketing strategies, and good karma for each of its clients. Deep Focus is founded by entertainment industry veterans, and the entire team comes from the entertainment business. They speak the language, and know the unique needs of the industry, making Deep Focus a true partner in the success of each client's brand. Deep Focus has launched numerous successful (and award-winning) campaigns for clients such as HBO, AOL, Miramax Films, Dimension Films, The Weinstein Company, Twentieth Century Fox International, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Records, Atari, and FUSE Networks. Headquartered in New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Deep Focus is privately-held.
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