The Ask
My team and I were tasked to choose a brand without a retail presence (at the time of this project) and create a retail concept for the brand. We chose Home Box Office.
Who is HBO?
HBO is the oldest and longest continuously operating pay television service in America. With 140 million subscribers worldwide as of 2016, the brand is known for its mature content, written and created by the best screenwriters and directors in the industry.
Who isn’t HBO?
HBO’s business model sets itself apart from its competitors. The company’s direct and indirect competitors include cable television (CNN, FX, ABC, etc.) and subscriptions (Amazon Prime and Netflix). Similar to cable television yet distinct from most subscription models, HBO doesn’t release full seasons of its popular series at once.
Insight
By not releasing full seasons at once, HBO curates a culture of conversation and speculation around its shows. These conversations provide word-of-mouth for the brand’s content to organically spread and become contagious.
Who watches HBO?
Currently, HBO’s 49 million US subscribers are the Young Professionals. These consumers are between the ages of 30 and 44, make an annual salary of $50,000 or more, and go to bars, movie theaters, sporting events and restaurants for leisure.
Hidden Viewers
HBO viewers are not only its subscribers. We discovered that within the pool of loyalists, there are viewers who do not have a subscription under their name. We call them the Hidden Viewers. These consumers are students and/or professionals who are just starting their careers and are between the ages of 21-29. Similar to the Young Professionals, this group also enjoys going to bars/restaurants, theaters, and sporting events. However, unlike HBO subscribers, these viewers consume HBO content through a subscription that is shared.
The Opportunity
Speculation and conversations surrounding HBO content also curates with the Hidden Viewers, especially at social events and gatherings at venues such as bars, restaurants, theaters and sporting events. This provides the company an opportunity with an untapped market and a new revenue stream by harnessing the existing conversations surrounding its content.
The Solution
To create an off-screen home for HBO that cultivates new ways to experience the brand.
Brand-to-Retail Concept
HBO Social is an entertainment venue that celebrates and curates conversations surrounding the brand’s content. With a bar-style restaurant on the first floor and an eat-in movie theater on the second, the venue aims to allow viewers to fully experience the brand in a retail setting.
Just like any other venue, we will provide weekly events for both the bar/restaurant and the eat-in theater. The events will include HBO’s classic series, new releases and others to entice viewers throughout the week.
Concept Launch
Prior to the grand opening of the venue, we will implement a campaign to promote HBO Social. The key media channels we will be using are OOH and social media to attract a broader market, and we will advertise on HBO NOW and HBO GO to raise awareness with loyal subscribers.
VCU Brandcenter Project | Student Spec