Showtime Promotes Series Via Street Events

Showtime is tapping into people’s natural tendency to be curious to promote two of its original shows.

“Cubes of Temptation" are appearing in highly trafficked areas in six cities. The 9-by-9-by-6-foot cubes play off of the theme, “Mondays are Temptation.” They entice passersby to look inside with messaging that tells them they shouldn’t.

Each cube is branded with images of bare-skinned characters from “Weeds” and “Californication,” a new Showtime series, using an Adam and Eve motif. Inside, visitors peer into peep holes to watch a 1-minute clip of “Californication.”

“It’s like the cubes dropped out of the sky,” said Jason Heim, director of operations and business development at Civic Entertainment Group, which is handling the events.

Stops include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York,and Philadelphia, PA. The events end today in Philadelphia, PA, and Las Vegas, NV.

Weeds, now in its third series, premieres at 10 p.m. Aug. 13, followed by “Californication.”

As part of the events, visitors can pose for pictures with a live snake. In return, they receive the photos in a branded frame.

Street teams handed out DVDs featuring a season two recap of “Weeds” and the premiere episode of “Californication,” branded wine bags, bottled water and apples to consumers. In all, about 30,000 DVDs, 20,000 bottles of water and 12,000 wine bags will be handed out, Heim said.

“Californication,” follows the story of Hank Moody, an author with a troubled life who is trying to overcome writer's block with his agent’s help, and at the same time, support his preteen daughter. In “Weeds,” a suburban mom takes on a new profession as a pot dealer who tries to balance family life and keep her new job a secret from her best friend.

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