Entertainment corporation Lionsgate is teaming up with South Korean conglomerate Samsung to give fans an exclusive inside peek at the Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 trailer at Comic-Con this week while promoting ticket sales for the film’s debut.   

Only Samsung Galaxy Tab S users have access to the opportunity occurring at annual comic event Comic-Con, but the opportunity will expand July 26-27 to participating Best Buy locations with Samsung Experience Shops outside San Diego. Fans who visit Samsung Experience Shops will receive a complimentary ticket to the movie premiere, providing an enticement worthy enough to pursue and direct foot traffic for Best Buy and Samsung.

“The mobile space is extremely competitive, with so many choices for tablets on the market,” said Marci Troutman, CEO at SiteMinis, Atlanta. “This partnership between Lionsgate and Samsung will allow them to deliver a more intense experience and in the future possibly deliver it through 3D.

“Consumers are looking for the next cool thing in entertainment and mobile constantly, with the patience level growing thinner and thinner as more and more options become available,” she said. “The partnership will drive better brand awareness for Samsung and will be a huge benefit that could stick for some time to come as long as it is delivered properly and accepted by the consumers.”

Ms. Troutman is not affiliated with Samsung or Lionsgate but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Neither Samsung nor Lionsgate commented by press deadline.

Galaxy holds the power
The two brands have approached this campaign with sole dependence on mobile and hope that it will most effectively resonate with fans.

“Promoting the new Hunger Games movie at Comic-Con, a perfect venue for both the promotion of the tablet and the release of the movie, is a win-win for Samsung and Lionsgate upon the announcement of their partnership,” Ms. Troutman said. “Mobile is one of the hottest topics in circuit today, and the discussions surrounding how to capitalize on the mobile market effectively is a continuing dialogue that will be ongoing for some time as brands learn this is a vertical that is here to stay and not a fad that will pass.”

The Hunger Games’ fan base will undoubtedly be interested in the debut of the trailer, but it is questioned that Samsung will have much of an investment in the release and how much overlap there is between comic fans and Hunger Games’ fans.

Galaxy devices will also host a downloadable plus package, available July 28, called Hunger Games Movie Pack app playable by Google Play containing exclusive content, such as scripts, book excerpts, video clips and more.

“If indeed they are able to deliver an experience that is ‘first of its kind’ and the excitement follows, they will be leading the pack and other tablet manufacturers will be forced to follow suit to keep up,” Ms. Troutman said. “But if the expectations aren’t met, it will be more difficult to gain traction with marketing on future premieres.”

“This adventure with Lionsgate is not so much about creating better overall brand equity with consumers than doing specific product targeting.”

The trailer will premiere in the Capitol Gallery in the Samsung Galaxy Experience located in the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego.

The Best Buy opportunity is available to anyone.  There are participating locations across the country.

Entertainment enticements
Pizza Hut deployed augmented reality and a hashtag campaign to help reintroduce a menu favorite, Cheesy Bites pizza, as part of its partnership with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles around the upcoming reboot of the film.

Given the two brands’ long-lasting relationship since the ’90s, this campaign differed from previous collaborative campaigns given the digital initiatives. Pizza Hut and the Ninja Turtles, known to appeal to younger generations, reinstated themselves with a mobile twist to reach the tech-savvy Generation Z-ers (see story).

A mobile promotion for a Dollywood theme park ride held promise for effectively connecting the digital and physical worlds by offering real-time benefits for skilled gamers.

Customers who played FireChaser Express – The Game while waiting in line at the theme park’s new FireChaser Express roller coaster could win free passes to the express lane for the ride. The player with the highest score each hour between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. got two free passes to the faster queue (see story).

The partnership has potential if both parties can deliver.

“By doing a strategic partnership with content creators, such as Lionsgate, to drive consumers to specific and exclusive content, both companies receive value,” Ms. Troutman said. “The key is exclusive content through unique channels. This type of marketing strategy will differentiate a brand from competitors, and that is very important to effective advertising.

“Lionsgate is helped with the additional funds that a company the size of Samsung can put into marketing. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon, editorial assistant for Mobile Commerce Daily, New York