Digital Dialogue

In 2011, Audi broke the mold by being the first to use a Twitter hashtag during a Super Bowl ad with their #ProgressIs campaign. Are football fans ready for another digital tool for Super Bowl XLVI?

On Sunday, Chevy launched “Game Time”, a smartphone and tablet app that offers fans a sleek interface and the chance to participate in trivia, polls, and the opportunity to win a brand new car. It is available in the iTunes App Store, the Android Marketplace, and via chevy.com/gametime.

Pardon the corny analogy, but it’s sort of like offering the C7 with an inline four. All the fundamental elements of a viral app are there: game layer, smooth interface, striking visual identity, and integration across multiple platforms. The app even provides users with a unique digital license plate that, if shown on a car during one of Chevy’s Super Bowl commercials, can win the user one of four brand new cars. Game Time users can also earn prizes from places like Papa John's, Bridgestone, Sirius XM Radio, NFLShop.com and Motorola.

I like what Will Burns from Forbes had to say about Game Time: “It’s a great idea with no ‘idea guts’…Trivia? Polls? Come on, Chevy. You run deeper than that.” Since downloading the app, I’ve been presented with hard-hitting, pigskin related polls like “What’s the best pizza topping?” and “How many people at your Super Bowl party don’t have a place to sit?” Really?

Super Bowl commercials are known for generating almost as much buzz as the big game itself, but I think that Game Time, because it elicits involvement across multiple mediums, gives Chevy an opportunity to stand out during the game and at the water cooler the next morning. While I think Chevy could have pushed the boundaries a bit further with this one, my hope is that this app further paves the way for others to integrate an app into their marketing plan.