HBO: The Escape
Open the game- Brand
- HBO
- Year
- 2017
- Objective
- Awareness
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Platform
- Installation
- Agency
- MRY
- With
- HBO
- With
- UNIT9
Objective
HBO launched an immersive activation at SXSW 2017 to drive fan engagement and brand awareness for three of its flagship series: Game of Thrones, VEEP, and Silicon Valley. The campaign aimed to create a memorable, shareable experience that would generate press coverage and deepen viewer connection with the shows through interactive storytelling.
Solution
The Escape featured three themed physical escape rooms recreating iconic settings from each HBO series. Teams of visitors had five minutes per room to solve puzzles embedded in each show's narrative context: solving clues in VEEP's Oval Office, cracking challenges in Silicon Valley's hacker house, and decoding a 3D map puzzle in Game of Thrones' Castle Black. Successfully exiting all three rooms granted access to a final chamber with the Iron Throne, where teams could take photos, purchase merchandise from the HBO Shop, and sample Game of Thrones wines.
Results
Over 1,500 participants completed the experience across three days (March 11-13, 2017) at 800 Congress Ave in downtown Austin. The activation generated significant press coverage and earned recognition from the FWA (Awwwards). Celebrity participants from the shows attended.
