It finally happened: Angry Birds is officially going mainstream. And not in yet another TV show that briefly mentions the app – in a Super Bowl commercial. As reported by AdAge, 20th Century Fox has teamed up with Rovio, makers of Angry Birds, to launch a commercial about the upcoming animated film Rio which will feature Angry Birds and a code to enable a secret level in the game. Fox and Rovio will also launch a special version of the popular iOS app called “Angry Birds Rio” in March, where characters of the movie and the game will merge into a single storyline.
The code that will be given in the Super Bowl ad will grant access to a level that, once completed, will further enable users to enter a contest to attend the premiere of the movie “Rio” in Rio de Janeiro on March 22nd. AdAge also reports about the spot:
Fox said the spot will be the first Super Bowl ad that requires viewers to pause the spot and watch frame-by-frame to capture an embedded code. Other marketers are adopting somewhat similar tactics, however, in their Super Bowl ads this year.
The Angry Birds social phenomenon looks unstoppable and, frankly, it seems like it’s moving even too fast for a game that was nothing a year ago. Still, what Rovio is doing is impressive marketing-wise, but I hope the infamous birds won’t end up on McDonald’s happy meals anytime soon. Rovio is also rumored to be working on a real sequel to the original game, which should feature a “pigs point of view” and a brand new gameplay.
