A fictional crime investigation created for mobile phone users lies at the heart of the marketing strategy to launch the latest DVD box set of hit US franchise CSI and to promote a price promotion across the entire CSI DVD range.
To coincide with the launch of CSI:NY Season 4, Part 2 and the price promotion, Momentum Pictures will seek to harness fans love of the complex procedural puzzles set in each episode, allowing consumers to conduct their own investigation via their mobile handsets.
The centrepiece of the campaign is a bespoke, immersive, multi-platform game developed by full service mobile agency Candyspace and accessed via a branded CSI WAP and online portal. To receive a link to the WAP portal, text CSI to 64546.
The game weaves voice, print and online executions into its narrative, requiring entrants to pick up a voicemail message, visit a MySpace page, find evidence in HMV stores and even check the classified sections of The Sun newspaper in order to find the relevant evidence.
In the game, participants become a CSI agent caught up in the hunt for an 18 year old female serial killer who lures her victims by inviting them to spoof parties. As one of the agents investigating the case, entrants have to collect evidence that they text to their boss at CSI headquarters in order to receive information about the next stage.
Those entrants who solve the crime and find all the correct evidence have the chance to win one of 10, exclusive, CSI-branded Samsung Omnia phones, loaded with specially-created content. One of the handsets will contain a Golden Ticket for a holiday to New York, the setting for Detective Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) and his teams forensic exploits in the show.
The campaign will use mobile media to publicise the competition. Candyspace has created a  series of banner ads, which will be placed across all major UK mobile operator portals. The campaign is also supported by a million pound plus TV, print, online and outdoor campaign from Momentum Pictures. All executions will highlight a shortcode and URL to drive maximum registrations.
CSI fans are famous for their passion and the amount of fan fiction that they generate around the show, says Michael Artup, Brand Manager at Momentum Pictures. The nature of the show makes it perfect for interactive content like this, and we believe that the audience will see this campaign as one of the cleverest, most entertaining opportunities they have to engage with the series.”