Under Armour, Steph Curry bring real-time trivia to NBA playoffs

Brief:

Under Armour launched a game show app focused on Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors point guard who has won two NBA championships. The Steph IQ mobile app challenges players to answer basketball-themed questions to win shoes, NBA playoffs tickets and a shared grand prize of $10,000 in Under Armour store credit, according to a statement shared with Mobile Marketer.
The Steph IQ game show is activated in real time, kicking off just after Curry scores his first three-point shot during each playoff game. After that, players can answer eight questions of increasing difficulty for a chance to win prizes. The first Steph IQ game will run on Friday, May 4, when the Warriors face off against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Social media personality BDot, real name Brian Armstrong, will host each Steph IQ game, which Under Armour developed with digital agency Red Interactive. The app is available for free in the U.S. on the App Store and Google Play.

Insight:

The Steph IQ game is a fresh way for Under Armour to leverage the publicity and fan attention that star player Curry gets during the NBA playoffs, which mark his return to the court after being benched because of an injury.

The game resembles the popular HQ Trivia app with its real-time gameplay that keeps players engaged as they test their knowledge about a wide range of topics. HQ Trivia has managed to draw audiences of more than two million people, especially when it offers bigger cash prizes of $20,000 to $250,000. These types of interactive mobile offerings demonstrate how marketers can engage audiences with live gamified content. But unlike HQ Trivia, the Steph IQ version is completely dedicated to the Under Armour brand. While HQ Trivia seeks to keep players glued to their mobile screens, Steph IQ urges fans to keep their eyes on live televised games, as the trivia game starts when Curry sinks his first three-pointer.

HQ Trivia is parlaying its viral popularity into revenue from native advertising, signing up Warner Bros. and Nike in March as the first two sponsors. Warner Bros. made a $3 million deal to promote three upcoming movies, including "Ready Player One" and "Rampage." This direct participation with players could lead to deepened engagement with the programming and ideally boost the viewability of the advertiser's message.

The big question will be how many more mobile game shows like HQ Trivia and Steph IQ can be sustained by sponsorships. Steph IQ points to how major brands can readily produce their own dedicated trivia shows. The field is likely get much more crowded as more brands look to ramp up mobile engagement through interactive features and leverage the strategy popularized by HQ Trivia.