Warner Bros and Waze tap Batman and The Riddler for immersive navigation experience

Warner Bros Consumer Products (WBCP) and DC have tied up with Waze to spice up consumers' travel on the road ahead of Batman Day on 21 September, using Batman and The Riddler to help users navigate. Until 31 October, users can activate the Batman experience on Waze and choose either the hero or super villain by selecting the iconic voice of Batman (Kevin Conroy) or The Riddler (Wally Wingert). The feature is available globally in English, Spanish and Portuguese and users can also follow The Riddler's clues or enter "stealth mode" like Batman.

Additionally, Waze users can change their car icons and hop in the Batmobile or The Riddler's racer to guide them on their way, and select the Batman or The Riddler moods to outsmart traffic. 

To top things off and create an immersive experience, Waze also tied up with Spotify to create the Waze and DC superhero or super villain playlists, which can be played via the Waze audio player feature. In a statement to Marketing, Waze's spokesperson said the partnership was designed to help Warner Bros and DC celebrate Batman Day in a fun and engaging way - especially since COVID-19 has impacted the in-person component of their celebration - while bringing an engaging experience for prospective and current Waze users globally.

"Over a year in the making, it was a perfect fit for both brands. We loved collaborating with Warner Bros due to their willingness to get creative with how the superhero versus super villain story could come to life on Waze and across our respective owned and operated channels,' the spokesperson added.

While the spokesperson declined to share the monetary value of the partnership, she added that Warner Bros reached out to Waze for the collaboration, having seen its Sesame Street activation last year. Waze plans to continue working with other partners to bring more great experiences to users in the future. The company has also released custom social content across its global and local channels to promote the partnership and experience.

Robert Oberschelp, senior vice president, global brand product, Warner Bros Consumer Products said by partnering with Waze on this innovative interactive program, it is giving fans the opportunity to get behind the wheel of their own reimaged Batmobile as the iconic DC Super Hero Batman who is known for having incredible gadgets and the coolest vehicles. “As fans gear up to celebrate this year’s Batman Day, this will add some fun to their drive and take their imagination to new places," he added.

Meanwhile, Erin Bellsey, head of brand programmes, Waze, said given the year that everyone has, consumers need some superhero support to guide their way, and Waze cannot think of a better way to do it than with the first-ever Waze program that features two iconic characters’ voice navigation, moods, and cars. "We are also thrilled to be working with our audio player partner, Spotify, to bring the experience to life with fun music for drivers around the world," Bellsey said.

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