HBO’s inventive campaign to drum up interest for True Blood, the vampire series from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball that debuts Sept. 7, may be a little too high concept for the average mortal. Outdoor ads and vending machines that tout a bottled drink called Tru Blood have driven consumers to the network website, where they’ve futilely tried to buy the product or locate a dealer. What they end up discovering is that the beverage — which is supposed to be synthetic blood — only exists in the drama, which stars Anna Paquin and is based on the Sookie Stackhouse book series by Charlaine Harris. “We didn’t mean to dupe people,” says Zach Enterlin, HBO’s VP of advertising and promotions. The ads also include small print that encourages vampires to "drink responsibly" and to visit trubeverage.com. “We just wanted a campaign that breaks through and resonates a little bit. It’s a testament to how true to form the ads are. Some people aren’t paying close attention.”
Ad campaign for HBO's 'True Blood' confuses thirsty consumers
Featured Video
Realite: Reality TV sexes it up!
Unsubtle sexuality on ''SYTYCD'' and ''Top Model,'' sickening turns on ''DWTS,'' ''Top Chef,'' ''Runway''
More 
Today's Most Popular
-
Hollywood Insider '2012' kills, 'Precious' amazes at the weekend box office -
The Ausiello Files 'Fringe' exclusive: Watch a preview of this week's big Observer eppy NOW -
-
Hollywood Insider The Governors Awards: On the scene at Oscar's special honors
-
Special Coverage
'Twilight' Saga: 'New Moon'
It's almost here! Get all the latest news, photos, video, and fan commentary leading up to the big premiere
More
Comments (1-30) of 49 Add your comment
Cool idea. I love when there is high concept promotion. Like the fake Dharma ads in Lost and the Cloverfield trailers that made you think it was real.
Cool idea. I love when there is high concept promotion. Like the fake Dharma ads in Lost and the Cloverfield trailers that made you think it was real.
I think it’s great viral marketing (The Dark Knight anyone?). People are just stupid. I wish more movies and shows would be more creative/original with their marketing.
I thought it was a good campaign. I’ve been looking forward to this show. I am a bit confused why people would want to be a synthetic blood drink, though. Seriously? How could you think this was a real beverage?
I would so drink Tru Blood! I’d imagine it’d taste something like V8 but with a slightly more metallic iron taste.
I saw the ads for this fake blood drink and actually went to the website and totally believed everything it said. I thought at the time that it was a really odd thing to try to sell and I wondered if it was a marketing campaign for something. So…I looked around the site to try to find the disclaimer or the true ad for whatever it was fronting for and could never find it. Even when you look at the fine print at the bottom, it doesn’t say anything about HBO or a TV series. I am one of those folks who is pretty good at picking up subtle product advertising or viral campaigns, especially on websites, and I was totally duped on this one.
Anybody who has read the books knows exactly what this is about. The books are great and I can’t wait to see the series!
I work at WB as a tour guide and have had the opportunity to show guests some of the Tru Blood sets. When I tell them the name of the show and explain the concept, they all start talking about the ads they’ve seen around town. One lady even said she tried to buy Tru Blood at a liquor store!
Its like when when people received sample bottles of Sunlight dishwashing detergent in the mail — they thought it was fake lemon juice and put in the tea, etc !!
Hey honesty I really thought it was a real blood at the beginning before my research, I read the guy in the comments above saying that people are just stupid, if was so they would not sell synthetic urine at the store either it would be just another “fake” advertising. I do believe that in the age of advanced technology we live everything is possible with enough research and study, and if people does drink animal blood without getting sick, I don’t see why in this crazy world some like that wouldn’t be possible to produce, if they already “legalize” marijuana in some parts of the country as a medicine they will in a close future come up with something that will “revolutionize” the human race even more than that.
I watched all the Bloodcopy.com spots on HBOonDemand last night, and I have to say that I am really excited about this show. I tried to read the books last year and could not get into them. Sookie is the emotional equivalent to a thirteen-year-old girl! However, I would totally sport a “God Hates FANGS” bumper sticker. That gave me a really good chuckle.
I have never read the books either and don’t know the story. But, I just saw a delivery truck this morning that plastered with Tru Blood, just like any Pepsi or Frito Lay delivery truck. Yea, I didn’t know it was for HBO either until I read the line “HBO says drink responsibly.” They could have done the same ol’ clip montages or impending doom photography to promote this show, but they obviously know it has been done, done, done before. But to take an artifact from the movie, Tru Blue, and use it as the strategic hook to engage people is genius. And if mere mortals were duped, I am sure they weren’t angry.
Honestly, I was hoping it was an alcohol drink. I was thinking something fruit flavored and kinda rich.
I wish HBO would start selling a TruBlood soda to coincide with the beginning of the series. Who wouldn’t drink cherry soda with a “TruBlood” label? Or better yet, a different flavor (all blood red) for each blood type. I can envison “Blood Orange” for “O”, “Apple-Cinnamon” for “A”, “Black Cherry” for “B”, and “Absolute Berry” for “AB”. I’d buy a bunch of 6-packs for my vamp friends.
your wish came true Persephone. On Sept 10 2009 they are releasing True Blood Soda!! Its flavored Blood Orange!! haaa!!! Someone high up must have read your post! You can preorder it on HBO’s website!!
I knew exactly what Tru*Blood represented since I am a true fan of Charlaine Harris books. I know the HBO series will not follow the books to the letter (too bad) and I sure hope that Pam and Eric are in the series as well as Sookie’s boss Sam. Great books, hope the series will be too!
I hope that bubba is in the series! plus Claudine. I love the books their great
I think this is a brilliant campaign. I have never heard of the series until I saw the ad. It has truely peaked my interest. If they are that creative with their advertisements, the show has to be great.
I love this book series – the while supernatural romcom genre of novels, really – this ad was brilliant
and I also dearly hope that Elvis Presley Enterprises doesn’t block Bubba from being in the series!
i thought it would be some type of energy drink that looked like blood and i thought that would be fun to drink! and they would have made a killing being that Halloween is coming up!
i figured it would be some type of energy drink that was blood red, and i thought that was a great idea. my friend told me about the show and i wasn’t thrilled until i saw the ad! but now that it’s fake, i’m unthrilled again. they really wouold have made a “killing” with this drink, since Halloween is coming up! oh well.
Does anyone else think that Sam the bar owner is actually the dog that came to the scene where the couple was getting the vampires blood? Bc if you remember Sam said he would be right back that he was going to make sure everything was okay with Sookie but you didnt see him, even though he told Tara he was gone for a hour and at that time the dog came. Then the second epsiode when they are in the office in the bar the picture above Sam is the same dog that came to the scene. I think Sam is the dog, he has special powers or whatever just like Sookie. What do you think??
Would of made a great drink
Good point that is true he leave but all u see it the dog maybe he is like a shape shifter or something or a werewolf lol
Lol I dont know about a werewolf, but maybe I mean the show is about vampires. There is def. something goin on with him though
I think ur on somthing. Maybe Sam is a vamp 2 cuz Bill said there are shapeshifting types. Maybe he ctually killed the redneck trsh couple? Did it clearly show Bill Killing them or just hurting them? Maybe Sam is apart of an age old vampire hunting group…seen that before…Buffy?
Bill did kill the trailer park couple. Sookie asked if he did and Bill said something to the effect of that he is very strong and then sookie mentioned that next time he be more careful because tornadoes hop.
I’m just responding to the post about Sam the bar owner actually being the dog. I really think he is, especially since Tara commented about him barking in his sleep. If he’s not the dog, then they have some type of relationship. The dog definitely plays a role in the show…maybe like Sookie’s protector. I don’t know if anyone noticed but the dog was standing in the background while Sookie was talking to her grandmother outside about being attracted to Bill.
THE SHOULD REEEALLLY BE A FLAVORED DRINK CALLED TRUBLOOD THAT WOULD BE SOOOO COOL AND HBO WOULD MAKE A LOT OF MONEY IF IT TASTED GOOD BECAUSE THE SHOW IS AWESOME…IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ENERGY DRINK..BUT EITHER WAY I’D LOVE TO DRINK TRUBLOOD AHAH
The dog might be a protector..of sookies and maybe he is a shapeshifter…oh bill killed the couple he even put the house on top of them b/c when sookie asked he said he was very strong and he claimed he did…
i too wish they would make a true blood drink being in australia is hard as we are the last to know anything. i even wondered if it tasted like blood, anyway hope they make one soon, would be very popular
i think sam is a dog cause the dog that follows sookie around walks up to sam when he is on his porch and sam says hey brother what have you been up to.