HBO Go: Awkward Family Viewing
HBO Go needed to increase subscriptions by highlighting a unique benefit beyond just content. The client aimed to target young adults who desired to watch mature, complex shows without the awkwardness of family viewing. The goal was to position HBO Go as the essential solution for personal, uninterrupted entertainment.
Creative Idea
It dramatized awkward family viewing to highlight HBO Go's private escape.
HBO Go humorously dramatized the relatable awkwardness of watching complex or mature shows like Game of Thrones with parents, positioning the streaming service as the ultimate escape for personal, uninterrupted viewing, far from uncomfortable family commentary and misinterpretations.
The Most Supremely Uncomfortable Ads of All Time
A Masterclass in Propagation Planning
The campaign utilized a strategy known as Propagation Planning, targeting millennials to influence the primary bill-payers - their parents. By shifting the value proposition from "utility" to "emotional relief," SS+K transformed HBO Go into a lifestyle tool for the cord-cutter generation. The strategy worked; the videos reached over 1 million YouTube views in their first week and sparked a noticeable increase in new member registrations. Because the spots featured racy clips from *Girls* and *True Detective*, they were initially deemed too NSFW for traditional broadcast and were released exclusively on digital platforms like YouTube and BuzzFeed.
Seven Spots and a Paul Rudd Argument
Director David Shane of O Positive Films leaned into subtle comedic timing to capture the "universal cringe" of family viewing. The campaign consisted of seven films, including the standout "What’s He In?" - which was remarkably written on-set in just one hour. This spot featured a hilarious, circular argument where parents insist Robb Stark is played by Paul Rudd. Another highlight was the "Appreciation" spot, featuring veteran actress Toni DiBuono, whose silent, expressive reactions to a sex scene became a hallmark of the series.
From Small Agency to Cultural Phenomenon
Chief Creative Officer Bobby Hershfield noted that the emotional core of the campaign was simply that "HBO Go lets you avoid watching HBO with your parents." This insight resonated so deeply that Time magazine labeled them the most uncomfortable ads ever made. Beyond the humor, the campaign had significant industry weight, winning Gold for Small Agency Digital Campaign of the Year and cementing the service's necessity before the eventual transition to HBO Now and Max.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
HBO Go offered a vast library of premium content and the flexibility of individual, on-demand streaming across multiple devices.
Category
Streaming services often focused on convenience or content volume, overlooking the social dynamics of shared viewing environments.
Customer
Viewers desired to watch their preferred mature or complex shows privately, free from family judgment, questions, or misinterpretations.
Culture
The rise of complex, adult-oriented series like Game of Thrones highlighted the generational divide in media consumption and understanding.
Company
HBO Go offered a vast library of premium content and the flexibility of individual, on-demand streaming across multiple devices.
Category
Streaming services often focused on convenience or content volume, overlooking the social dynamics of shared viewing environments.
Strategy:
Leverage the discomfort of shared viewing to position individual streaming as the ultimate personal escape.
Customer
Viewers desired to watch their preferred mature or complex shows privately, free from family judgment, questions, or misinterpretations.
Culture
The rise of complex, adult-oriented series like Game of Thrones highlighted the generational divide in media consumption and understanding.
Strategy:
Leverage the discomfort of shared viewing to position individual streaming as the ultimate personal escape.
Strategy Technique
Start With a Tension
The campaign directly addresses the unspoken tension of awkward family viewing experiences. It leverages this relatable discomfort to position HBO Go as the ideal personal escape.
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Creative Technique
Dramatize the Problem
The campaign vividly portrays the cringeworthy experience of watching mature content with parents. It highlights the generational gap and differing viewing habits as a key pain point.
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Craft Breakdown
This campaign excels in its sharp, relatable humor, masterfully delivered through exceptional acting and clever, authentic copywriting that perfectly captures common family viewing dynamics, leading to an intuitive product solution.
The subtle facial expressions and comedic timing, especially from the teenage daughter's exasperation and the son's quiet cringe, are crucial to the ad's humor and relatability, making the awkward family dynamic palpable.
The dialogue is authentic, funny, and perfectly captures common family viewing dynamics with specific, memorable lines, building the tension effectively and leading to an intuitive product solution.
