HBO has launched yet another quirky, viral marketing campaign - this time to promote the return of Rome on January 14th. From January 10th through the 13th, 100 Italian eateries in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago will be offering complimentary bottles of Rome wine, a cabernet sauvingnon bottled in California and labelled for maximum ad appeal. Rather than have servers push the wine on customers, a card will be placed on each table offering diners "a taste of Rome."The brainchild behind the promo is Lime Public Relations & Promotions who feel that the campaign is "innovative but tasteful." Lime president Claudia Strauss reported to AdAge that, "The show is all about indulgence, and we just felt this was a great way to bring to life one of the key aspects of the story line." In keeping with the show's over-the-top sex and gore, participating restaurants will also allow diners to drink the blood of Christian martyrs, sodomize select servers and retire to a vomitorium following their meal.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-09-2007 @ 5:07PM
Eric J. said...
They couldn't find a Falernian?
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1-09-2007 @ 8:05PM
TomB said...
A hundred restaurants over three days? That's not a lot of marketing.
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1-10-2007 @ 10:47PM
Sam said...
Anyone know what restaurants these are?
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1-15-2007 @ 2:19PM
MGG said...
A hundred restaurants over three days? That's not a lot of marketing...It isn't the amount of restaurants/days that "Rome"/HBO is looking for, it is Bloggers, News Media, Magazines, word of mouth that makes this marketing idea work on a large scale. Unique and special advertising is almost all that works now-a-days.
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1-15-2007 @ 2:56PM
Jen said...
Too bad they didn't let anyone know in advance. It's the 15th today, so it's too late...I would have gone to the restaurant JUST to try the wine...why tell us NOW?
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1-15-2007 @ 3:42PM
ramsteinbandb.com said...
Wouldn't mind having some for guest.
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1-15-2007 @ 3:51PM
ramsteinbandb.com said...
Will be on the lookout!
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1-15-2007 @ 4:35PM
Eman said...
Drink the blood of Christian martyrs? I doubt that, considering there haven't been any Christian martyrs in quite a while.
Retire to a vomitorium after eating? Depending on the restaurant, that can be a regular experience, and thus isn't really anything special.
But sodomize servers? Now that's something original! How much, pray tell, does that cost, and do I get to chose which server to sodomize?
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1-15-2007 @ 4:34PM
joe said...
@Jen, it was posted on the 9th... lol
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1-15-2007 @ 4:47PM
Danielle said...
Anyone know what winery in California produced the wine?
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1-15-2007 @ 5:02PM
Adam said...
Too bad they didn't bother to promote the show's premiere! I didn't even hear about this silly gag until after the Sunday night premiere.
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1-15-2007 @ 8:52PM
Jessica Allan said...
Drink the blood of Christian martyrs? I doubt that, considering there haven't been any Christian martyrs in quite a while.
Not only that, during the time period of the show, Christianity doesn't yet exist.
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1-16-2007 @ 12:23PM
Kevin said...
The promotion was an experiment in greed for L.A. area restaurants. The restaurant I visited was selling their bottles for $2.50, and others reported sales of the "complimentary" bottles of wine going for as much as $7.00. Hopefully HBO's marketing scheme at least got the attention of the owners of Italian eating joints.
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