How about an airplane in flight as a venue for an event? When Entourage returned from a yearlong hiatus, HBO needed a dramatic way to launch the fifth season of its flagship comedy. A typical screening and after-party didn’t seem to fit with the show’s expensive campaign and jet-set vibe, so the marketing team came up with the idea of an on-brand airplane. HBO approached Virgin America, which fit with the show's aesthetic. The airline was about to debut a new flight service between New York and Las Vegas, so the pair agreed to a joint promotion. The result included a private Virgin-hosted party inside a JFK airport hangar, photo ops with the show’s cast and Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson, an in-flight premiere of the season opener, and an after-party at the Playboy Club in Las Vegas.
