HBO Max • Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts campaign
Campaign Overview
In anticipation for the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter, we spearheaded a robust advertising & marketing campaign including both traditional and digital ad formats. As a highly anticipated reunion special, the expectation was to drive not only existing users to stream the special, but to also draw in new subscribers to HBO Max through this campaign.
The campaign parameters consisted of managing a $12MM media budget, nation-wide audience appeal, running across all relevant media channels, including innovative bespoke executions, such as a custom AR lens that ran across all social platforms (see screenshots above).
The Challenge
At the time, viewers were experiencing a reunion format fatigue due to recent reunion specials (i.e. FRIENDS TV Show Special debuting on HBO Max). Additionally, the campaign launch window was in a crowded and expensive window — as it was a New Year’s Day premiere date.
The Solution
Leveraged robust targeting capabilities to engage Harry Potter Fans, Nostalgia Viewers, Families/Co-viewing, and Teens to tune into the 1/1/22 release date of the reunion special
Built excitement and buzz through turnkey, custom high-impact executions, and hard-working media
Grew the audience of the Harry Potter fandom by establishing HBO Max as the destination for Harry Potter content
The Results
Overall, drove relatively strong viewership during the first few weeks of the Reunion Special launch. Performance was in-line with previous reunion specials that launched on HBO/HBO Max
Paid Social — delivered a very cost-effective CPS (cost-per-subscriber) and CPV (cost-per-view), despite the emphasis on converting prospective HBO Max subscribers
YouTube — beyond delivering a strong CPM and CPS, YouTube media also saw a lift in awareness (+2.2 absolute lift)
TikTok — generated the lowest CPM across all digital-direct and social platform partners
Paid Search — achieved an above-average Impression Share for all campaigns, with General Keyword category driving the highest CTR
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