20 Best Marketing and Advertising Campaigns We Have Ever Seen e book 20_Best_Marketing_and_Advertising_Campaigns | Page 4

TRUE BLOOD: REVELATION
BRAND:
HBO
CREATIVE PARTNER:
Campfire and Company
What made the marketing campaign for HBO’s first
season of True Blood so remarkable was the way it was
woven into the mythology of the show itself.
Vials of a mysterious red liquid with messages in a “dead
language” were mailed to goth and horror bloggers,
leading them to a “vampire-only” website called Blood-
Copy.com. Videos featuring “real vampires” debating
whether or not they should reveal themselves to an
unsuspecting human populace were “leaked.” An out-
door poster campaign promoting a new beverage called
TruBlood (available for sale at www.trubeverage.com) and
featuring PSAs supporting equal rights for vampires 
appeared in major metro areas -- none of which ever
mentioned the TV show.
By creating a complex backstory about a synthetic
beverage that enabled vampires to “live among humans,”
HBO and its creative partner, Campfire, were able to
tap into an existing community of horror aficionados
and organically build an audience that made True
Blood one of HBO’s most anticipated and successful
show debuts.
STEAL THIS
Find the “niche” audience that is super passionate about
your product or mission, and explore ways to intrigue,
inspire, and deeply entertain them.
Invest in really good storytelling.