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New Belgium celebrates summer with multiplayer bike jousting mobile game

New Belgium Brewing is leveraging a new mobile bike jousting game to dial up the fun and make a connection with consumers during the summer months when they are looking to kick back and relax.

The multiplayer game, New Belgium Bike Joust, enables players to pick a bike and venue where they can joust with friends to unlock content, earn badges and a chance to win prizes. The app is part of the multi-channel Pairs Well with People campaign designed to showcase summertime communal fun and the company?s craft beer brand Fat Tire Amber Ale.

?New Belgium Beer is looking to leverage the jump in free time app to give consumers a unique experience during the summer season with a socially interactive mobile experience,? said Guillaume Lelait, vice president of North America at Fetch, San Francisco.

?By introducing apps of this kind during the summer, brands like New Belgium can emphasis a lifestyle and grow their awareness and brand loyalty which will last into the fall and beyond,? he said.

Mr. Lelait is not affiliated with New Belgium Brewing and spoke based on his expertise.

New Belgium Brewing did not respond to press inquiries.

Bicycling lifestyle
Once consumers have downloaded the game and picked a bike, they can choose from two New Belgium-inspired venues: the brewery and city streets. Players can join a room or create a new room to joust against players on iOS or Android.

By throwing others off their bike, players are able to unlock a tall bike.

Players can login with Facebook or a New Belgium Grand Cru account to earn limited edition badges and a chance to win a trip to Tour de Fat in San Diego in September 2014.

The campaign also includes the mobile-optimized Fat Tire Experience micro site, NewBelgium.com/FatTireExperience, where visitors can watch new TV spots celebrating the bicycling lifestyle, including bike jousting and junkyard racing.

On the site and the brand?s social media channels, consumers can answer a few questions to be paired with one of several unconventional bike experiences, such as bike jousting, cyclocross or bike dancing.

Sharing stories
New Belgium is also inviting consumers on the site and its social media channels to share their bike tales. The company is promoting its summer events and encouraging visitors to take advantage of opportunities to win weekly prizes by logging in and then reading, downloading or sharing content.

The campaign runs through Labor Day.

?In the season of travel, sunshine, and blockbusters, an integrated marketing strategy is truly valuable to break through the noise, with mobile being a pivotal channel,? Mr. Lelait said.

?As companies move into the mobile space, establishing an effective app represents a fundamental building block for success,? he said.

?Consumers need an attractive landing pad from which companies will be able to influence them, and an app provides that space.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York