Discovery Communications Inc.?s Discovery Channel is running rich-media creative promoting its ?Storm Chasers? television show across various publishers? iPhone applications, including WeatherBug, Pandora, Flixster, Variety and TV.com.

The creative is an application takeover that uses transparent overlay and is activated when the user taps anywhere within the application, which then triggers an animated tornado that takes over the screen, complete with audio effects. Medialets powered the campaign.

?The strategy that fueled the launch of the mobile execution was to utilize immersive media environments that could give consumers a first-person point-of-view of a storm,? said Gail Rodriguez, marketing manager at the Discovery Channel, Silver Spring, MD.

?Through penetrating users' personal mobile devices, we were able to introduce them into the storm-chasing world by creating a deeper, emotionally driven one-on-one connection,? she said.

Discovery Communications, an American global media and entertainment company, has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39 languages for 1.5 billion-plus subscribers.

Mobile rich media gets noticed
Discovery?s in-application rich-media tornado animation wipes away everything in its on-screen path and "cracks" the iPhone screen.

As the tornado fades away, the user is prompted to click to watch the Storm Chasers season 4 trailer.

?Our consumer insights research showed that our Storm Chasers 25-54 target is a heavy media consumer that is receptive to content that involves sports, character-driven human-interest stories and ?hands-on? technology fun,? Ms. Rodriguez said.

?When selecting specific applications that were able to carry the Medialets functionality, we selected apps that feature content that hit on these key interest points?for example, Flixster, TV.com, Variety, Pandora and CBS Sports?as well as contextually relevant environments such as Weatherbug,? she said. 

Ms. Rodriguez said that the purpose of the application takeover was to bring the experience of a tornado to the user in a personal way.

Upon launching the application, a tornado destroys the screen that the user was looking at, complete with audio and vibrations. The user's screen even appears to crack upon impact.

The experience ultimately resolves to a branded image of Storm Chasers where the user can play a video.

?The Medialets technology has enabled us to utilize the mobile space to immerse viewers in Storm Chasers in a breakthrough ?take a pause? way,? Ms. Rodriguez said.

?The tornado whipping across the apps' screens and appearing to crack the glass drives home the first-person POV perspective while also stressing tune-in by inviting viewers to watch content from the series,? she said.

Discovery on GetGlue
In conjunction with the new seasons of Storm Chasers and MythBusters, Discovery Communications has teamed up with mobile social media platform GetGlue to offer Discovery Channel viewers the opportunity to check into the shows, while connecting with fellow fans and earning custom stickers as they tune in.

?Discovery has always been highly engaged with its fans through social media and we are excited to connect with them through another channel with GetGlue,? said Amber Harris, manager of digital communications at Discovery Communications, Silver Spring, MD.

?Fans have been checking in by the thousands and they can add these special stickers to their social media profiles, available after five check-ins,? she said. ?We?ll also be unveiling a new set of stickers for MythBusters superfans soon.?

Final Take

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