HBO has a long history of programming that is deeper, richer and more unexpected than any other network’s. They needed a multimedia integrated campaign (including a direct-response promotional invitation) that reflected their unique brand of storytelling, spoke to fans and nonfans alike, and cemented their position as leader in creative storytelling, while encouraging people to connect more deeply with the brand.

Our solution was to embed the HBO Cube—a first-of-its-kind digital film experience—into banner space on popular news websites. When clicked, the Cube shows four sides of a story simultaneously—each providing a different view of the film’s characters and plot. Only by watching from all sides do viewers find out what really happened. When viewers clicked again on the Cube and were led to the campaign site, the films were revealed to be parts of a larger narrative experience.

The 14-foot cube and appeared in three major cities. Thousands of people turned out for all three Cube events. The events were well attended and drove hundreds of thousands of unique visitors to the campaign website – with 70% of users recommending it to friends. Subscriber and nonsubscriber impressions of HBO as “innovator” rose over 30 percent, and The New York Times said that the Imagine campaign set a new bar in interactive fiction.