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Universal Pictures hones in on context with targeted mobile campaign

Universal Pictures is incorporating location and push notifications into its mobile campaign to drive awareness of the company's upcoming film, ?Pitch Perfect.?

Universal Pictures is working with timeRAZOR on this initiative. The campaign keeps fans up-to-date leading to the Oct. 5 release of Pitch Perfect through the timeRAZOR application.

?We've partnered with Pitch Perfect to offer exclusive offers, promotions and screenings within the timeRAZOR app,? said Jeff White, CEO/cofounder of timeRAZOR, Leesburg, VA.

?Similar to the Foursquare save button but with tighter and more pervasive technology, we allow our users to opt-in via the "Never Miss Out" button. Then we proactively alert our users, who've opted-in, to local activities near them almost like a geo-contextualized Google Alert,? he said. 

Opt-in for notifications
Universal Pictures' Web site includes a button in the bottom left-hand corner that promotes the timeRAZOR app and reads ?Get Pitch started in your hometown.? Other buttons on the site let users follow the film on Twitter and Pinterest and ?Like? the film?s page on Facebook.

When users tap on the button, they are directed to a page where they can enter their email address. Additionally, the page includes a call-to-action that encourages users to download the timeRAZOR app, which is available for iPhone and Android devices.

Once consumers are opted-in and have downloaded the app, the timeRAZOR app will send push notifications to users with information about events such as screenings that are taking place near them. The app uses geofencing to find the nearby locations.

Tying a film release to a user?s location is a smart way for Universal Pictures to keep awareness high leading up to the release date. This could possibly lead to increased sales for the film.

Consumers are increasingly relying on their mobile device as a source of finding nearby information and events, showing the opportunities for marketers to engage with users via targeted messaging.

A closer look at the Universal Pictures campaign on timeRazor

Mobile studios
Film studios have become a mainstay in the mobile industry, especially around advertising.

The goal behind most film studios is to drive pre-sale orders leading up to a film.

However, it is important to keep consumers on their toes, which can be particularly effective by using location and relevance.

?Movie studios are no different from other brands trying to leverage content to attract and engage with a mobile audience on a local level,? Mr. White said.

?Perhaps even more than other content producers, they struggle to break out with the amount of movies coming out, the significant advertising noise that exists and consumers who make entertainment decisions a large amount of the time on convenience and geo-relevance,? he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York