HBO eyes subscribers with Rome production

The 12-part series is HBO's second most expensive production at US$100 million, following Steven Spielberg's US$120 million epic Band of Brothers three years ago. The series revolves around two Roman soldiers in 52BC, and lets the viewer experience life in the Empire through their eyes. Love and betrayal are key themes for the show, which is targeted at viewers aged 25 years and above. A second season of the series has already been commissioned in the US after it received strong viewing figures following launch in the market. The supporting campaign includes a number of promotions, which offer new subscribers the chance to win trips to Rome, while existing subscribers can enter online competitions to win iPods and other consumer electronics. "The objective of the communication is to get non-subscribers to join up, and existing subscribers to tune-in," said Caroline Wong, director, marketing, HBO Asia. The campaign leading up to and following the premiere this week also includes TV, cinema, print, outdoor, radio and online. Wong said the executions vary from market to market, with some of the more inventive works including a three-storey Roman structure in Taiwan. "It was the first time a structure of that size was allowed in that spot," she said. "We wanted to be innovative in our media buy to capture attention and create that buzz," she added.