HBO gives "Conchords" the viral treatment

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - For the first time, HBO has used the Internet not only to debut an upcoming TV series but also to allow viewers to spread its pilot episode virally across the Web.

Through a partnership with interactive ad agency Deep Focus, the Time Warner subsidiary launched an online marketing campaign centered on the new comedy series "Flight of the Conchords" that allows viewers to access it on a number of video-sharing sites and to embed the pilot episode on blogs, Web sites and social-networking profiles.

"Conchords" centers on the adventures of a music comedy duo transplanted from New Zealand to New York's Lower East Side.

The campaign launched Tuesday with promotion on the MySpace network and the episode featured on the "Conchords" MySpace page. The user experience will expand, with consumers directed to HBO's site for an embed code that enables them to re-post the episode on other sites.

Besides MySpace, online partners in the sharing and distribution of the show include iTunes, Yahoo TV, MeeVee, iFilm, Superdeluxe, Blip TV, Movielink and broadband sites Comcast.net and Roadrunner.com.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter