One morning in Los Angeles, 25 people entered a windowless room. They were about to participate in “The Squid Game: The Trials,” an interactive experience based on the popular and dystopian Netflix franchise.
“The Squid Game,” a South Korean series about an indebted man who participates in a deadly tournament, was a surprise hit for Netflix two years ago. In November, Netflix launched a companion reality series in which 456 players competed, in less lethal fashion, for a $4.56 million prize.
Now, anyone with $39 — or $99 for a special VIP pass — can play in real time. One ticket is admission to a 70-minute round of gruesome versions of children's games, followed by Korean snacks and shopping.
The original “Squid Game,” a savage anti-capitalist satire, revels in blood sports. The reality version, although kinder, takes a bleak view of human nature. But in the rooms of the interactive experience, the atmosphere was cheerful. The fans of “The Squid Game” were excited with each call to continue. Once the tests were over, they happily browsed the snack stalls.
“The Squid Game: The Trials” is the latest in a trend of immersive experiences designed to insert an imaginary world into our real world. Known as brand activations or brand experiences, the events transform television shows and movies into multidimensional happenings.
Last year, in New York alone, fans could curl up on the couch during a “Friends” experience, stroll through an opulent theater during an “Only Murders in the Building” experience, solve a murder in “Welcome to the Continental: The Hotel Bar Experience” or dance the night away at a dance straight out of “Bridgerton.”
“We are bringing an amusement park to the people,” said Netflix executive Marian Lee.
These participatory and walk-through experiences have been part of the media landscape for more than 20 years, but until recently they have been rare and exclusive, typical of events like Comic Con or the South by Southwest festival. An amalgam of theater, commerce, viral marketing and fan service, they were meant to advertise shows in more creative ways than a panoramic ad.
Some brand extensions look like museum exhibits. Others, which may involve dozens of actors, resemble plays.
“They're not theater,” said Sarah Bay-Cheng, an academic who studies the intersections of theater and media. “But they are theatrical.”
While streamers and TV networks outsource activations to outside marketing farms, those companies tend to work closely with writers and producers to preserve the spirit of the product.
“We're all making sure we approach it from a place of authenticity,” said Fri Forjindam, who helped design experiences for “Stranger Things,” “The Mandalorian” and “Westworld.” “And from there, you break all the rules.”
Ollie Killick's company, Fever, designed the experience “Welcome to the Continental: The Hotel Bar Experience,” inspired by the Peacock series “The Continental,” a prequel to the “John Wick” franchise. “We wanted the guests to feel like the main character of their own show,” he said.
But is the show really about them? Or are activations like these simply a means to a marketing end? If an experience delights fans, those fans, by publishing it on the networks, become part of the advertising campaign of a program.
Although expensive to produce, these immersions are likely to generate more social media impressions than traditional advertising.
Lee put the emphasis elsewhere. “For us, it's about the fans,” he said. “We don’t approach it as advertising.” Netflix recently announced a plan to open destinations known as Netflix Houses, where fans can participate in rotating live experiences while consuming brand-name food and purchasing souvenirs.
Mike Monello, whose company, Campfire NYC, designed the “Only Murders” experience, has a theory about why immersive experiences are popular.
“Opportunities like this give people a chance to reunite with their tribe,” Monello said. “And it’s a lot more fun to do it in person.”
By: Alexis Soloski
BBC-NEWS-SRC: http://www.nytsyn.com/subscribed/stories/7082391, IMPORTING DATE: 2024-01-23 19:22:03
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