Facebook credits are the reward when users play a social game promoting the Universal Pictures upcoming movie “Tower Heist” to be released November 4. The motion picture studio wants to boost engagement and social sharing around the movie, and will be distributing cards with QR codes directing viewers to the game after “Tower Heist” screenings.
Here are the basics for the “Heist it Back” game on Facebook:
- the game mimics the movie plot, in which characters “seek revenge on a swindling Wall Street executive”
- Facebook users win two, five or 10 credits at a time by clicking “Heist” buttons on characters’ pages and elsewhere
- the game has a section explaining what credits are and what users can do with them (spending them in social games, watching movies on Facebook, etc)
What are Universal’s hopes for the game? According to Doug Neil, senior VP of digital marketing for Universal, “We wanted to create something live within the Facebook ecosystem, driving the story and driving the promotion to integrate around the brand and encourage social sharing.” Universal is paying at least $100,000 to fund the Facebook credit giveaway, and offering ‘real value’ to boost engagement with the game, according to AdAge.
Will the lure of Facebook credits and the relevancy of the movie’s plot (#OccupyWallStreet anyone?) be enough to pull in significant user numbers and create real social buzz for the movie? The movie’s Facebook page already has over 73,000 fans, and as of today over 17,000 people are “talking about this” on the social network.
