Video games and movies are a magical combination for this child at heart. TimePlay brings both to the customer loyalty game with their social gaming app for the big screen.

They reached out with a movie pass (Zoolander 2, thank you) so I could give the app a go at Movieland here in Richmond.  You can also find what TimePlay coins as their interactive cinema experience in these theaters, cruise ships and casinos. 

Here’s a breakdown of the TimePlay experience.

Fifteen minutes before showtime, a teaser rolls up with a celebrity telling you how to download the TimePlay app, which is available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry.  If you want the chance to win prizes, you create an optional profile linked to your Facebook account or e-mail address.  You can also play as a guest.  When it’s game time, you select the theater number that appears on the movie screen from the list of available screen numbers on the app.

There are a few rounds and depending on the question, you score points based on a variety of factors including speed, accuracy or popularity of the group vote.  Top players can win a number of prizes — at Movieland those included, buy one get one movie passes, free popcorns and other concessions.  Your winnings are instantly loaded to your phone via a redeemable voucher.

So I may have placed last in my group of friends and didn’t win a prize — but from a consumer perspective, I totally understand the freebie love!  So what’s in it for marketers?

Here’s how TimePlay describes those benefits the company says drive higher brand engagement than traditional linear communication:

By gamifying a brands proposition in a social setting, TimePlay increases the impact of the execution amongst the entire audience. And at the end of the execution, when the experience is at its peak, participants are sent prizes in the form of advertiser calls to action. The feeling of winning the prize can influence a higher consumer activation rate. And with TimePlay's reporting tool brands will be able to more effectively measure return on marketing investment.

TimePlay has been around since 2009 although new to the Richmond market.  With its simple and direct ability to deliver promotional value, this is a platform to keep on the radar.

Learn more about TimePlay and download the App here.