• by Aaron Baar , March 11, 2010

HBO is promoting its mini-series "The Pacific" via an interactive kiosk placed in 16 World War II-themed museums.

"The Pacific" is a 10-episode mini-series that premieres March 14 and runs until May 16. The show, produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman, is intended as a companion piece to the 2001 miniseries "Band of Brothers," which followed soldiers through Europe during WWII.

The new series follows a group of Marines through the Pacific Theater, including the famous Iwo Jima and Okinawa battles.

"For HBO, the partnership is a great entry point to promote tuning in to "The Pacific" to a very targeted audience," says Seth Grossbard, an account director at Civic Entertainment Group (CEG), which developed the campaign. "If you're taking time to go to one of our battleship museums, you're probably going to be interested in the mini-series."

The kiosks, which operate like an ATM, allow visitors to record a video tribute thanking veterans and active military for their service. The 30-second messages, recorded free of charge, can be emailed to active-duty service members and will be sent to HBO, which will compile the tributes for a montage appearing on its Web site and distributed to the troops.

"We were looking for a way for everyday citizens to have a way to show appreciation," says Grossbard. "That's a message that comes through in "The Pacific," to show future generations what the greatest generation sacrificed for us."

The 16 museums will use their databases to promote the kiosks and their exhibits. CEG is also working with a number of military-support organizations, such as the American Legion and Operation Gratitude, to highlight the kiosks, which will remain through Memorial Day.