MUMBAI: Deepening its digital engagement with fans for the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, host broadcaster Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has introduced an integration with Facebook AR (Augmented Reality) studio, adding it to the “screen experience” enabled through its OTT platform SonyLIV.
Through the integration with Facebook AR studio, fans can support their Doosri Country at the World Cup by selecting the country they are supporting, and the Facebook camera will scan their face and paint the selected ‘Doosri Country’ flag over the picture. This entire experience gives fans the opportunity to engage with friends and family by sharing images on their page and inviting others to try the experience.
On SonyLIV, fans have access to a live interactive platform for all 64 matches of the tournament that also encourages them to cheer for their Doosri Country. The second screen platform will give fans the chance to experience the World Cup on mobile devices with polls, trivia, and many other interactive features.
Once fans log into SonyLIV, they will have an option to choose between Meri Doosri Country and Match Zone.
Match Zone: Is a live engagement experience that allows fans to stay a step ahead of the game and show off their football instincts and knowledge. Fans that score the most points for each of the 64 matches will feature on the Leaderboard and win prizes. Fans can participate in activities such as predicting the final match score, the success of penalty kicks, the outcomes of corner kicks and more.
SonyLIV also brings alive ‘Match Centre’, where viewers can see live scores, player positions, team information, match statistics and live commentary. To make their experience more engaging, users can set reminders or view the entire schedule while the points table gives a quick update on the standings, scores, etc.
Kedar Teny, head of Marketing and OAP, Sports, SPN, noted: “We want to provide fans an opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the World Cup, especially on digital platforms where engaging and connecting with other football enthusiasts is a key. These digital experiences through Facebook and SonyLIV are the first of their kind for any FIFA event in India and push the boundaries of fan engagement, making the #MeriDoosriCountry experience available anytime, anywhere.”
Abhishek Joshi, head – Marketing, Subscription and Content Licensing – Digital Business, SPN, added: “We are excited to bring a whole host of innovations this FIFA World Cup. The second screen experience on SonyLIV is to engage users on their personal devices while they #screamloud for their favourite country. Our endeavour is to reach out to all football fans across India and bring them closer to the game.”
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia is being telecast live in English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu on SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 3, SONY ESPN channels till July 15, 2018 and will also be streamed live on SonyLIV App and website.
