Brief:
- Universal Brand Development and Pocket Gems' mobile storytelling network Episode today launched “Pitch Perfect In Deep Treble,” an interactive story game based on the movie franchise about a cappella music groups, according to a press release made available to Mobile Marketer. The game arrives ahead of the release of “Pitch Perfect 3” in theaters on Dec. 22.
- In the game, players can create an avatar that befriends and competes with “Pitch Perfect” characters, the press release said. Fans can actively participate and decide how the story plays out.
- “Pitch Perfect In Deep Treble” is Episode’s latest venture in immersive mobile entertainment. Other titles are built around popular entertainment brands like “Pretty Little Liars” and “Mean Girls.”
Insight:
Interactive storytelling and choose-your-own-adventure apps have become a trend among marketers trying to expand their reach among teeneagers, an audience for whom apps like Episode, Hooked, Yarn and others are popular. By combining interactivity, storytelling, mobile technology and social media integrations, the apps offer an opportunity for brands to reach new customers as well as drive brand awareness and loyalty.
The new Episode mobile story is the latest interactive game created to promote an upcoming Hollywood film release. Paramount recently released its first augmented reality app ahead of the release of “Transformers: The Last Knight.” The game lets players control the movements of the robot character, Bumblebee, and interact with various objects in a virtual junkyard.
DreamWorks released “DreamWorks Universe of Legends,” a mobile role-playing game that features more than 40 DreamWorks characters in 3-D. Players can choose backgrounds from some of their favorite movies. And, Marvel recently joined forces with game developer Aftershock to create a mobile game based on its comic book characters, including the Avengers and Spider-Man.
Interactive storytelling app development is extending to television. Film director Steven Soderbergh and HBO have partnered on a project called “Mosaic,” which includes an app allowing viewers to decide the order of the story of a murder mystery miniseries of the same name. And, two more interactive series are in the works.
