Storm Tussey Just a few thoughts

After seeing HBO’s success with True Blood and a fully integrated campaign that included specialty beverages, viewer parties and even a dating site. Starz premieres Spartacus with a fully integrated add campaign.

Starz mixed digital and traditional marketing strategies to drive tune-ins to the Jan. 22 debut of scripted drama series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, the premium network’s second scripted drama after Crash, but one it renewed for a second season before the first one begun. Starz is trying to reach young viewers through show-specific, gaming applications for Apple’s iPhone and iTouch devices, according to Marc DeBevoise senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy for Starz Media.The mobile game can be accessed via iTunes and has a Wi-Fi connection feature that lets players amongst each other, he said.

It also is distributing a four-part comic series based on the show. Each episode of the digital comic book series can be purchased at a suggested retail price of $1.99 on Amazon.com, iTunes, Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox videogame consoles.

Starz teamed up with male-targeted Men’s Health magazine to create a digital workout around the series. The official Spartacus workout/exercise routine is available as a free iTunes app. More young people are using their iPhone and iPods for entertainment purposes, so DeBevoise believes the digital offerings will help build momentum.

In addition, Starz teamed up with several cable operators to offer free on-demand previews of the series’ first and second episodes. Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, Insight Communications and Mediacom Communications will air episode 1 on Jan. 20 one and episode 2 on Jan. 27 on demand on Jan. 27, Nancy McGee, executive vice president of marketing, said DirecTV also will offer a preview of the first two episodes on Jan 21 via its 101 channel. Apple’s iTunes and Netflix offers Spartacus episodes day and date with their debuts on Starz, said the network.

This campaign must have worked due to the trending topics on Twitter and the watercooler talk at the gyms… the show premiered with 3.3 million viewers and expected to grow when TiVo results are added and the show became the most successful premiere in the company’s history.