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Brands At San Diego Comic-Con Want To Be Experiential Marketing Heroes

H.B. Duran
Pattern of Comic Con logo

San Diego Comic-Con is here once again in all of its glory. The costumes are on, the celebrities have arrived and experiential marketing is abound at the biggest fan gathering of the year. Let’s take a look at how some brands are competing for attention with creative activations.

Blizzard

Celebrating the upcoming Hearthstone expansion of Knights of the Frozen Throne, Blizzard Entertainment is bringing Ice Cream Citadel, a pop-up ice cream shop, to the Petco Park parking lot. Anyone in the area is invited to stop by for a free frozen cone in “Villain-illa” or “Scourgeberry Sorbet,” as well as a photo with the imposing Lich King himself. Those brave enough to call the business (1-855-LIC-HKNG) will be greeted by the Lich King’s chilling voice. No Comic-Con badge is required to participate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ePY5K0y8M

HBO

Beat the summer heat with HBO’s “Winter is Here” activation. The immersive environment will take fans to Game of Thrones locations like Winterfell, Dragonstone, King’s Landing and North of the Wall. Dragonglass RFID wristbands will capture each touchpoint of the journey, producing individual links with ready-to-be-shared pieces of content. Every guest that goes through the experience will be given a custom SDCC Night King Funko Pop! figure, a T-shirt featuring the Night King key art and an exclusive Robert Ball Episode 701 mini poster.

https://twitter.com/RatedGiana/status/887917792682401792

Adult Swim

Adult Swim On The Green is a mini carnival with games, motorized animals, a tarot card reader, dart throwing, an oversized claw machine with Comic-Con-related prizes and an upgraded “Meatwad Dome 4D Experience” with motion seats.

Open to anyone over the age of 18, the event is located behind the convention center at Fifth Avenue Landing and Convention Way. Celebrity guests will be stopping by throughout the Con and AdultSwim.com will be broadcasting shows live. Adult Swim’s Nighttime On The Green will offer free screenings for fans who want to see the latest series and pilots. At Petco Park on Saturday, Adult Swim will host a Rick and Morty event with creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon.

Amazon Prime

The Tick is heading to San Diego with a giant 24-foot replica of the hero’s head, complete with animatronic antennae that respond to posts about it on Twitter. Starting July 21, Twitter users who add the #TheTickSDCC hashtag to their tweets, along with specific emojis, will see replies from the official Tick account with videos of the antennae moving in response to the requested emoji. The 24-foot replica of The Tick’s head will be visible from “all major landmarks” at the event, and Twitter users can control it with emoji.

Warner Bros.

Want some sewer candy from a creepy clown? Sure, why not? Brave fans can hop on an IT-inspired school bus that doubles as a virtual reality installation. The bus and FLOAT: A Cinematic VR Experience will be located at the Interactive Zone across from Petco Park—no badge required, although you might want to bring an inhaler.

Those attending the LEGO Ninjago Movie panel will receive an exclusive, movie-themed giveaway. For an hour each day during the convention, fans looking for a good stretch before standing in their next line can head to the lawn at the Omni Hotel at 10 a.m. to participate in “NINJOGA,” a tai chi/yoga-like workout for the ninja in everyone.

Warner Bros. teamed up with Johnnie Walker to immerse SDCC fans into the world of Bladerunner 2049, in all its gritty, cyberpunk essense.

AMC

Located in front of the Hilton Hotel in the Gaslamp Distrcit, The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead will be on display at AMC’s free “Deadquarters” experience. Test your swing at the Negan Batting Cages, meet cast members and more.

IMDb

Hey, it’s that one guy . . . you know, who was in that one movie? If you’re constantly looking up what shows and movies actors were in, then you’re no stranger to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). This year, the IMDboat returns with host Kevin Smith to interview celebrities from The Walking Dead, Arrow, Preacher, Vikings and more—all streamed on a giant screen so spectators can watch live. Street teams will also be giving away swag bags to convention guests.

Nintendo

The San Diego ballroom of the Marriott Marquis & Marina will be transformed into a colorful Nintendo world full of photo ops and game demos. Fans can also participate in competitions sponsored by Nintendo for a chance to win prizes, catch a glimpse of the upcoming Super NES Classic Edition hardware and celebrate the launch of Splatoon 2 with special game-themed activities.

HyperX

There will no doubt be a ton of Overwatch cosplay at San Diego Comic-Con this year, but attendees who find the HyperX cosplayers can win big prizes. Peripheral manufacturer HyperX has partnered with six cosplayers dressed as D.Va, complete with custom HyperX headphones. Convention-goers who take a picture with these ladies on social media while tagging @HyperX and #SDCC will be entered win a HyperX Peripheral Kit—featuring a HyperX Cloud Revolver S headset, HyperX Alloy FPS keyboard, HyperX Pulsefire FPS mouse and HyperX Fury S mousepad.

More information about the HyperX Cosplay Scavenger Hunt will be available on the HyperX Twitter account before the event starts. Winners will be randomly selected the week following the convention.

Pepsi

Pepsi’s Fandom Fest includes a food truck that will serve pop culture-inspired foods with Pepsi drink pairings. Menu items include Chimichanga with Pepsi (Deadpool), Fire And Ice Float made with Pepsi Fire (Game of Thrones), Ichiraku Ramen Taco with Pepsi Zero Sugar (Naruto) and Wookie Cookie with Diet Pepsi (Star Wars).  A live stage at the event will host trivia games, cosplay shows, talent interviews, panels and a lounge area for fans to take a break.