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Universal Pictures uses mobile to link static print ads to interactive content

Universal Pictures is using Microsoft Tag technology to promote the upcoming Judd Apatow movie ?Bridesmaids.?

With this campaign, Universal claims it is the first major movie studio to use Tag to promote a nationally released film. The promotional campaign will feature Tags on full-page ads for the film that will run in Cosmopolitan, InStyle, People StyleWatch and Us Weekly this month. 

?The strategy behind the Universal/Tag campaign is to raise awareness around the upcoming release of Bridesmaids and to engage future movie-goers in an interactive way using offline media,? said Doug Neil, senior vice president of digital marketing for Universal Pictures, Los Angeles.

The print ads will include a customized Bridesmaids Tag, which readers can scan to access a trailer to the upcoming film and additional movie information and content.

After users scan the tag, they are redirected to a landing page where they can watch the trailer.

This is the trailer that participants are connected to:

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Mobile experts
Universal Pictures is quite active in the mobile marketing space.

In September the movie studio partnered with Zinio?s iPad application to let users download the free ?Little Fockers? magazine, watch the trailer, see video highlights and meet the cast (see story).

A few months before that, Universal ran a promotion for its ?Repo Men? movie that integrated mobile bar codes with the campaign?s offline media to drive deeper engagement and buzz around the film (see story).

In April of last year the entertainment giant launched an application for Apple?s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad to promote the release of its ?MacGruber? movie (see story).

First ever
The campaign for Bridesmaids marks the first time Universal is using Microsoft Tag technology.

?Tag provides a link between static print advertisements to interactive and dynamic content like the movie trailer,? Mr. Neil said. ?This allows Universal to create integrated and engaging marketing campaigns that span print, digital and mobile channels.?

Universal Pictures aims to engage the audience for Bridesmaids by offering a highly scalable, branded mobile experience that goes beyond the printed page to generate interest and excitement around the comedy.

?This campaign is unique as it?s the first implementation promoting a high-profile, nationally released movie from a major film studio,? said Bill McQuain, director of Tag product management at Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA.  

?The Tag itself is customized with the movie?s branding and was designed as part of the print ad,? he said. ?This creates a cohesive experience for the film?s audience and allows users to immediately view the film trailer as an extension of the print ad.?