HBO Drives Traffic with Holiday Carolers
Red and white outfitted carolers are hitting the streets of Manhattan singing popular Christmas tunes, revised to hype HBO programming and to promote items sold at the 6th Avenue-based store.
For example, the “12 Days of Christmas” has been altered to: “On the twelfth day of Christmas, My “Big Love” gave to me, twelve rounds of “Boxing,” eleven “Stand Up” specials, ten “Deadwood” hats, nine HBO bulbs, eight Half Empty “Curb” mugs, seven “Conchords” hoodies, “Six Feet Under” playing, five “Sopranos” tees, four “Entourage” caps, three “Wire” books, two “Rome” CDs, and “Sex and the City” DVDs.
Other songs include “Let it Snow,” Deck the Halls” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
Ten-percent off coupons are being handed out redeemable at the store and flyers that highlight various items. In addition to the storefront, carolers are visiting high traffic locations, including Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal and Rockefeller Center.
“It’s a simple, but cute way of drawing attention,” says Matthew Glass, CEO of Grand Central Marketing, the agency handling the promotion. “It gets people thinking about going in.”
HBO wouldn’t release sales figures, but said the stunt seems to people capturing people’s attention.
“The reaction has been very positive,” James Costos, vice president of licensing and retail for HBO, said.
The HBO store, the network’s lone retail location, opened a year ago.
The storefront is also drawing attention. HBO has decked out the window offering a preview of the “Sex and the City” movie that is due out in May.
The street team promotion is scheduled to run through Dec. 24.
