In a press statement late last week, Angry Bird creator Rovio Entertainment and YouTube announced their partnership to integrate The Slow Mo Guys of YouTube fame into RETRY, a new game launched by Rovio last week. “RETRY is a tribute to the challenging old school games of the 8-bit era wherein the players pilot their planes through side-scrolling levels in a world where the gameplay, music and art are a homage to the 80s,” explains the statement.
With The Slow Mo Guys partnership, Rovio adopts new native mobile media formats where the brand integration is part of the game and enhances the player experience. Gamers will be able to progress in the game through branded The Slow Mo Guys content that is integrated to the game. The partnership includes a high-impact media campaign promoting The Slow Mo Guys across key EMEA markets.
“Rovio is all about fun, quirky and surprising elements, and that certainly describes The Slow Mo Guys”, says Jami Laes, executive vice president of games, Rovio Entertainment in the statement. “Through our products and partnerships we always want to delight our fans in unexpected ways, and this level certainly fits the bill.”
“We’re really happy to partner with Rovio to launch RETRY in EMEA,” adds Richard Waterworth, head of YouTube consumer marketing EMEA. “The fun, retro tone of the game and the target audience are a perfect fit to engage with fans of The Slow Mo Guys.”
Essence, a global digital agency, brokered and set up the partnership between the two brands to feature The Slow Mo Guys as part of RETRY. The Slow Mo Guys will also appear on pre-roll and custom rich media units on the Rovionetwork to engage current and new users.
David Hompe, client partner Google EMEA at Essence says in the statement: “This partnership allows mobile gamers the opportunity to experience the magic of YouTube’s Slow Mo Guys in a surprising, quirky and bespoke way. The slow motion level delivers a new perspective and challenge to the game, which delivers on Slow Mo’s ethos and simultaneously on our ambition to make advertising more valuable to audiences. A truly great example of how media and content integration works”.
