Amazon Prime Video has long been known for its buzzy, out-of-the-box marketing activations, ranging from a gritty full-street transformation to premiere Hunters in February to a traveling Victorian fair to celebrate The Aeronauts last year. And who can forget 2019’s headline-grabbing promotion for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, when the studio brought 1959 prices to more than 40 locations throughout Los Angeles?
"These experiences allow people to fully immerse themselves in a series, which is more memorable and meaningful to our consumers," Jennifer Verdick, Amazon's head of partnership and events, told BizBash earlier this year.
And while the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly shifted the logistics, the basic premise remains the same. The brand's latest example? A virtual escape room to promote its comedy series, Truth Seekers, which debuted Oct. 30. Amazon Prime Video worked with The Escape Game to build a custom virtual escape room inspired by the series, which was created by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and follows a team of paranormal investigators uncovering an apocalyptic conspiracy.
In a video introduction recorded by actors from the show, players learn that they're being enlisted by Elton (Samson Kayo) and Gus (Nick Frost) to help the team restore 6G signal at a museum in Weymouth and recover the artifact that caused the disruption.Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
Here's how it works: From Oct. 23 to Nov. 18, fans can book the free 45-minute experience, facilitated by an energetic host via Zoom. It kicks off with a custom video where an actor from the show introduces the challenge, and then guests are virtually transported to a physical room filled with Easter eggs from the series. An on-site guide is wearing a headlamp and camera, and players explore the room by directing the guide where to walk, what props to examine, things to try, and more. When an object is scanned or a clue is found, it’s added to a digital inventory where participants can examine it more closely and keep track of what they've learned. While the guide simply serves as the players' eyes and ears, the host also stays on the call to give hints in case players get stuck.
(The Escape Game offers a number of other virtual experiences, including digital escape rooms that can be used for team building and corporate events. In-person options are also available with enhanced safety and sanitization protocols.)
Working with the guide, players unlock clues that open doors to new rooms, such as the office of Dr. Peter Toynbee (a character from Truth Seekers). Each room is filled with paranormal artifacts and other Easter eggs inspired by the show. When an object is scanned or a clue is found, it’s added to a digital inventory where participants can examine it more closely and keep track of what they've learned.Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
The virtual escape room isn’t the only out-of-the-box promotion Amazon Prime Video has hosted during the last few months. To celebrate its new slate of horror films from producers Blumhouse, the brand hosted four live virtual events on Oct. 16 and 17. The digital series, produced by immersive theater company Little Cinema, was a gamified experience where guests explored 10 virtual rooms in an attempt to solve a murder mystery. There were also performances from Ludacris and Questlove, as well as DJs Toro Y Moi and Jadalareign.
And for its new film All In: The Fight For Democracy, Amazon Studios traded in traditional promotional tactics for a cross-country campaign that aimed to inspire voter turnout. A fleet of five buses served as mobile spaces where citizens could register to vote, sign up to become a poll worker, check their current voter status, and participate in outdoor pop-up screenings of the documentary.
For Amazon Prime Video's "Welcome to the Blumhouse" virtual event series, actors helped guide guests through interactive activities like tarot card readings and mixology lessons.Photo: Yannick Delva
Further Reading:
14 Creative Activities for Virtual Team Building
10 Engaging Entertainment Ideas for Your Next Virtual Event
New Ideas for Virtual Events, Ice Breakers, and Other Team Building Activities
