When the execs at HBO, Campfire and Digital Kitchen got together in the name of marketing the show True Blood, they had one purpose: Connect people to the show–a show that hadn’t even aired yet.

Maureen has outlined how they did it. But what struck me about this panel even more so than their wild marketing success was the relationship between client and agencies. Two HBO clients and both creative agencies were represented on the panel.

Todd Brandes of Digital Kitchen summed it up best when he gave this advice to the crowd: “Find a good client.” He spoke of the clients at HBO as people who “can recognize a good idea and put all the faith in you to pull it off.” Meanwhile, Zach Enterlin of HBO spoke of the agencies as people with “incredible passion” that showed through after the first meeting. One of the creatives at Campfire read six True Blood books the weekend after getting the assignment.

With multiple agencies on the project, it could have turned into a logistical and creative nightmare. But Enterlin said what made the integration successful was the passion from all sides, honoring the True Blood story in every piece of communication, and last but not least–some really highly organized spreadsheets.