Bravo to push boat out for Spartacus

Virgin Media's pay-TV channel, Bravo, is to launch the biggest ad campaign in its 25-year history to promote the launch of US drama series Spartacus: Blood and Sand . Virgin Media Television is gearing up to launch a massive promotional push for Spartacus, which stars Four Weddings and a Funeral actor John Hannah and has been compared to a combination of films 300 and Sin City. The campaign includes a series of graphic TV ads, an online Roman "insult generator" and nationwide outdoor campaign. New media marketing will include a "battle game" iPhone application, in-game advertising on the XBox Live multi-player online service and a major ad slot on YouTube. There will also be an "insult generator" where users can translate curses into Roman. VMTV is investing a considerable sum in marketing the launch of the violent series, which was subject to so much hype a second series was given the go-ahead even before the US premiere of the show , including taking the unusual step of running a series of TV ads outside its own airtime. The TV ads, which will break next week, will run on Channel 4, Film 4, ITV's portfolio of channels and Channel Five. The violent and sexual nature of the show, which launches on Bravo on 25 May, has led VMTV to develop different trailers for use before and after the 9pm watershed. A range of "high-impact character" press ads will appear in Metro, Shortlist and the Evening Standard. A national outdoor advertising campaign will run on almost 250 sites and, for two days before the launch of the show, all 46 of the premium digital poster sites in the UK will run Spartacus ads. The premium digital sites include London's Westfield shopping centre, Liverpool's Media Wall and Manchester City's Gateway. The TV ads have been produced in-house by VMTV Creative, with media planning and buying by Manning Gottlieb OMB. The outdoor and press campaign have been developed by agency Brooklyn Brothers. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".