CBS Rolls Out New iPhone Application For 'Harpers Island'
Mobile marketing of shows to increase
By Claire Atkinson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/3/2009 2:18:55 PM
CBS network is rolling out its first mobile marketing application in support of a primetime entertainment series with an iPhone application for new drama, Harpers Island.
The series is a murder mystery from executive producer, Jon Turteltaub, and involves viewers trying to guess which character will become the killer's next victim. The show is one of CBS's biggest premiers this Spring and launches on Thursday April 9 at 10 pm. EST.
"We're trying to provide another level of engagement and game-play to the enhance the experience," said Jeff Sellinger, Executive-VP and general manager CBS Mobile. Then [TV] becomes a 24-hour experience. It's the one device you carry with you. It is location agnostic andwe hope it will drive [viewers] to the show. The application will be updated as the show progresses."
The network worked with ad agency Taxi, to design the elements after the agency made a blind pitch to CBS about its interactive show marketing capabilities.
"We recreated the island and all the locations you can visit to give people that extra experience," said Rich Muhlstock, general manager of content at Taxi. The application is a teaser for what's to come with interviews with the director and the Harpers Globe fictional newspaper. Well be able to stream episodes of show previews."
When asked about whether CBS will be backing other entertainment shows with mobile applications, Sellinger said: "We're absolutely going to do more. The company is also exploring applications for Blackberrys as well as Apple iPhones."
CBSs March Madness mobile application costs $4.99 and has been number one on Apples charts. The company also has an Entertainment Tonight mobile application and one for citizen journalists that allows people to report the news. Except for the March Madness application, the others are free and ad-supported.
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An app for the Blackberry would be cool.
J Mousseau - 4/6/2009 4:43:04 PM EDT
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