HBO deployed ‘Westworld’ iconography around Manhattan to promote new season

“Westworld” is an HBO series about a futuristic amusement park where not-so-secretly unhappy robots do peculiar things for—and to—the decadent wealthy customers who visit. The series began its fourth season on June 26. To promote the new batch of episodes, HBO in early July briefly took over several popular locations around Manhattan and proceeded to set up food carts operated by what appeared to be renegade androids pretending to be human baristas. 

HBO was assisted in this bid to mess with the minds of New Yorkers by local partners that included Magnolia Bakery, Sigmund’s Pretzels, and Joe Coffee. Food cart customers discovered their orders came with QR codes to unlock exclusive “Westworld” Season Four content. Each cart was supported by “Westworld” iconography in the form of traffic signs, lampposts, and even manhole covers—plus a “Drone Host” character to run things, just like in the show.