TORONTO – With launch a month away, Astral Media’s The Movie Network is set to launch one of its largest integrated-media marketing campaigns to date for the highly-anticipated new HBO epic drama series Rome.
The Movie Network kicks off its promotional efforts throughout the Greater Toronto Area on Monday, August 1, through until the end of September 2005. 
Rome is a 12-episode drama series (with Ciaran Hinds as Julius Caesar, centre) premiering Sunday, August 28 at 9 p.m. ET on The Movie Network. It’s the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers who unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome. A serialized drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, it chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of a Republic and the birth of an empire. The first season begins in 52 B.C., as Gaius Julius Caesar completes his conquest of Gaul after eight years of war, and prepares to return to Rome.
"Given the existing communications channels that we have in place with our subscribers, many of our marketing efforts are geared towards building awareness among our current base and demonstrating the value and benefit of our service through program promotion," said Russell Ward, director, consumer marketing. "However, having seen the first episodes of Rome, and given the buzz that is already surrounding this series, we see a definite opportunity to use Rome as a subscription driver. As such, we are looking to execute a campaign that will leverage as many entertainment mediums as possible in order to reach both current and potential subscribers in eastern Canada."
Over the next two months The Movie Network has scheduled a comprehensive marketing campaign, including the use of DVD samplers. The Movie Network will distribute the series’ first two episodes through direct mail and special events to over 300,000 recipients.
Additional Rome campaign elements will include:
On-Air Promotion in Movie Theatres
* An on-air promotional spot will air in 12 Famous Players and 21 Cineplex theatre locations throughout the GTA
Outdoor Advertising
* 54 vertical outdoor advertising boards will be placed throughout downtown Toronto
* Two large outdoor murals, one located on Queen Street and the other on Yonge Street
* Five digital billboards located at key intersections: Yonge & Bloor, Yonge & Dundas, Yonge & Richmond, John & Richmond, Yonge & Eglinton
Radio Advertising
* Five radio stations will broadcast 30-second commercial spots: CFNY, CHUM, CILQ, CJAQ, CJEZ
Future Shop In-Store Advertising
* 39 Ontario Future Shop locations will screen the Rome promotional spots
Print Advertising
* Five print advertisements in 24 Hours, Dose, eye, Metro, Now Magazine
On-line Media Advertising
* Seven web banners on toronto.com, torontolife.com, cinemakock.com, ticketmaster.ca, globeandmail.com, eye.net, nowtoronto.com
Contest Promotion
* A "Win a Trip to Rome" Contest sponsored by My Travel and Toronto Star
All advertisements and broadcast promotional spots were created by The Movie Network’s in-house marketing, creative services and on-line media teams. Media Experts based in Montreal organized the media buys for the Rome campaign.
