With WarnerMedia joining the AT&T fold, this team has been hard at work aligning the communications teams from HBO, Cinemax, TBS, TNT and truTV under one umbrella. That alone might be enough to warrant the designation of PR Team of the Year, but the group also executed an unprecedented publicity campaign for the launch of HBO Max—moving to Plan B, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. An HBO Max sneak peek was given during WarnerMedia Day in October 2019 that generated more than 1.7 billion impressions. From that day forward, they generated a steady stream of programming announcements and buzz leading up to the streamer’s May 27 launch—which clocked 10.1 billion impressions. HBO Max highlights included a “Friends” cast raffle of tickets for their HBO Max reunion special, the introduction of the “Where HBO Meets So Much More,” a robust slate of virtual premieres that were truly interactive and innovative, and a premium mailer perfect for quarantine that included a Game of Thrones chess set, HBO Max puzzle and snacks. A programming publicity highlight included the campaign for the Emmy-winning HBO limited series “Watchmen,” which garnered tremendous buzz starting with the Summer 2019 Television Critics Association press tour and New York Comic-Con, into the October premiere, driving thoughtful commentary and a multitude of “watercooler” moments for fans of the series. The team also executed a ground-breaking virtual event for TNT’s “Snowpiercer,” which premiered May 17 as the top new entertainment program on cable so far in 2020. The event received praise from Vanity Fair, Deadline, Page Six.
