Hundreds of people take to their mobile phones during sports game intermissions, and Google may have found a way to grab hold of their attention.
AdWeek reports that the company introduced a new promotion Tuesday night, during the NHL game between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. Titled On the Ice, the promotion directed fans to go to a particular website on their mobile devices, where they can play a quick game against one another.
The game not only provides fans the opportunity to let a few minutes breeze by during intermission, but also serves as a promotional opportunity for Google’s Chromecast video streaming device.
“There are a lot of moments at live events where the action stops, and people all the sudden will start talking to each other or they pull out their phone trying to keep themselves entertained for a little bit,” said Michael Jenkins, a communications strategist for Google. “This is the first time where we will have up to 18,000 people all experiencing Chromecast–we’re creating the biggest living room ever created.”
With Own the Ice, players compete with each other by tapping their screens as quickly as they can in 90 seconds to give their team the advantage. Those that take part in the action are rewarded with a promo code that takes $10 off a Chromecast device through Google’s eCommerce store.
It’s an interesting way to advertise for a product while keeping players involved with quick gaming action, and the campaign will carry over well through the Islanders’ season for the next few weeks.
Google is also open to the idea of similar promotions in the future. “We’re hoping to build a case to create more of these experiences out in the world, not even next year but hopefully in Q4 this fall,” Jenkins noted.
It sounds like this would be a perfect promotion for an even bigger crowd. Maybe Google could consider an Own the Turf game with fans of the New York Giants?
