The Hobbit Comes To Life By GoldRun

Nov. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- USA- (November 20, 2012) GoldRun, Warner Bros. and OMD have teamed up to bring Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson's visionary motion picture adaptaion of J.R.R Tolkien's beloved fantasy adventure The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to life by enabling fans around the world to take and share photos with characters from the film. Participants can download the free GoldRun mobile app, pose with various characters from The Hobbit, and then share their photos via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Email. GoldRun and Warner Bros. have placed a fun and immediately shareable experience into the hands film lovers and Hobbit fans everywhere. Interested media who wish to learn more about GoldRun's pioneering technology, or to arrange an interview with CEO, Vivian Rosenthal please contact Workhouse CEO Adam Nelson directly via email nelson@workhousepr.com or by telephone +1 646. 205. 3540.

This innovative engagement model bridges the digital and physical worlds by enabling users to take and share photos with virtual characters from various Hollywood blockbusters. This strategy goes far beyond the typical Likes, Re-tweets and social media comments that are passively generated by movie fans and their friends throughout their day. Every branded photo that is shared by an individual becomes a user generated ad that is designed and optimized for the social media ecosystem. On Facebook, photos receive 7x the number of comments, likes, and shares versus other content like videos and status updated. By leveraging GoldRun's photo-driven engagement platform, film studios are now able to produce high impact marketing campaigns that drive both ticket sales and DVD sales.

Warner Bros. is the third major film studio that GoldRun has worked with to create high impact photo-sharing campaigns. GoldRun has also launched successful initiatives with 20th Century Fox for Ice Age: Continental Drift, and Sony Pictures for The Smurfs. GoldRun's efforts with the film studios have focused on marketing efforts for both the theatrical launches and home entertainment DVD releases. GoldRun is proud to announce that is has an aggressive and expansive slate of film releases in 2013 that GoldRun's technologies will be used for.

"GoldRun has cracked the code on how to create engaging photo-driven experiences for consumers that produce trackable ROI for brands. Through GoldRun, Warner Bros. has engaged fans of The Hobbit in the real world via a hands-on experience, while seamlessly tying the engagement to both social media platforms and physical real world locations." - Vivian Rosenthal, Founder & CEO, GoldRun

The campaign will be promoted via Warner Bros. social media accounts related to The Hobbit, as well as via paid media on sites that movie fans visit. Warner Bros. will be actively curating the most creative user photos and featuring them on the official Warner Bros. Facebook Page.

GOLDRUN
GoldRun is a photo-driven mobile engagement platform that connects brands and consumers via virtual photobooth experiences. We enable consumers to take and share photos with branded content. Every photo becomes a user generated ad. Users share their branded UGC photos and accompanying messages on various social networks to earn rewards; including discounts & vouchers, instant win prizes, access to exclusive media and the ability to advance order products. Visit www.goldrun.com

OMD
OMD, a unit of Omnicom Media Group, is one of largest full service media companies in the world, with more than 4,300 employees in 80 countries. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients worldwide.

WARNERS BROS. & THE HOBBIT TRILOGY
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and the second and third films of the trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know. Director: Peter Jackson Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage Writers: Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens

HOW IT WORKS
• Download the GoldRun app for iOS or Android.
• After downloading the app to your mobile device, log in using Facebook connect or Twitter.
• Click on the The Hobbit featured image, click the camera icon on the Featured Screen.
• Once in the camera view, snap away.
• You can share your pictures directly from the app.

Agency: OMD Toronto
Client: Warner Bros. Canada
Mobile platform: GoldRun

MEDIA CONTACT
For more information about GoldRun, or to arrange an interview with CEO, Vivian Rosenthal please contact Workhouse CEO Adam Nelson directly via email nelson@workhousepr.com or by telephone +1 646. 205. 3540.

GoldRun is a photo driven ad-platform that transforms traditional digital media placements into immersive and immediately shareable brand-consumer engagements: GPS-Linked Virtual Photobooths. Simply snap and share. Every photo is a like a user generated wonder. In May, 2012, four-time Super Bowl Champions The New York Giants teamed up with Goldrun to celebrate the unveiling of their Super Bowl XLVI Championship Ring. Big Blue die-hards around the world virtually "tried on" and took photos with the newly revealed Tiffany & Co-designed ring. GoldRun clients have included Airwalk, Bloomingdales, Nike, H&M, Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, NBC, Spike TV, MTV, Sony Pictures, Courvoisier, Ford, Yahoo!, Tommy Hilfiger, Barnes & Noble, Esquire Magazine, Samsung, Swarovski, Heineken, Axe, Kraft goods, NY Giants, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Debenhams.

VIVIAN ROSENTHAL
Vivian Rosenthal is the founder and CEO of GoldRun, a UGC photo driven engagement platform that enables users to locate, interact with and take photos of GPS-linked virtual objects positioned in the real world to offer real world rewards. She has been named one of Creativity Magazine's top 50 global creatives of 2010 and has spoken at numerous conferences on the intersection of advertising and technology, including the CaT conference by Ad Age, TEDx, Ad Tech, Mashable and Socialize West. She has been selected as a jury member for the Andy Awards, D&AD, One Show Interactive Awards, and the Art Directors Club.