14 DAY TRIAL // The “American Idol” show has become a smashing hit on the TV screen and, given its success, its creators, along with game maker Electronic Arts, have thought about bringing it to the mobile phones as well, hoping that it would have the same amount of success. As many of you already know, the TV show has gained a lot of popularity since it got launched back in 2001, and this would be the first mobile phone game of this kind.
"This is really the first cross-carrier and first significant mobile game we've done," David Luner, senior vice president of interactive and consumer products at Fremantle Media Enterprises, producers of the show and the game, tells Marketing Daily. "The proliferation of gaming on handsets has changed from seven years ago. We have an ability to roll out on multiple handsets and multiple carriers."
The game was launched last week on AT&T's wireless network, featuring characters very similar to both the judge panel and the host of the original American Idol TV show, namely, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, along with Ryan Seacrest. The game is expected to reach other carriers as well during the following weeks. At the same time, it seems that an iPhone application is being developed too.
The story of the game places users in the role of an “American Idol” contestant who gets through several stages, from audition to the finales. Users need to match notes via the phone's keypad. Each contestant receives criticism from the judges, while selections are made by an audience based on scores and other characteristics. In addition, Coca-Cola and AT&T also appear in the game, as a means of making everything more interesting. According to Luner, AT&T won't be present on the competitors' platforms.
“The acceptance of advertisers to put themselves in non-trad media has changed over the past few years,” Luner says. “For Coke it's natural, because they're already used in the show. It doesn't look strange--it's exactly what the user would expect.”
Different online and interactive programs will promote the game, which will also be prominently present on the “American Idol” Web site as well as through email newsletters to registered fans. On the other hand, it seems that there will not be on-air promotion, given the fact that there are already contracts with sponsors AT&T, Ford and Coca-Cola.