Orchard Road turns into Gotham City

Shortly after sending out 100 "batmobiles" in Singapore, WarnerMedia is bringing the Bat Signal to ION Orchard. The distress call will shine out from the mall’s screen every night from 7pm to 10pm. The company has launched a pop-up experience at Orchard Road's Shaw House, in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to promote The Batman. Titled The Batman “Unmask The Truth”, the pop-up will run until 13 March and features a life-sized figure of Batman, a replica Bat Signal and a thematic photo booth. 

WarnerMedia is allowing consumers to recreate their own movie poster with the movie’s distinctive red-and-blue lighting. The pop-up also includes displays of limited-edition merch from local Singaporean brands, such as XM Studios' collectible showcase, "The Batman’s Greatest Battles". Meanwhile, Secretlab will unveil its The Batman edition chair with a magnetically detachable bat emblem. Warner Bros' local brand partners Shopee, LEGO, Spinmaster, and McFarlene will also participate in the pop-up.

To boost interactivity, WarnerMedia has also rolled out The Riddler's Challenge, an interactive online riddle-based game that tests players' knowledge on Orchard Road. The first 2,000 participants who register for the challenge on the event microsite will redeem an exclusive “The Riddler’s Pack” containing movie-themed merchandise. Those who complete all of the riddles and share why they are the biggest fan of The Batman also stand a chance to win a grand prize worth SG$400. Alternatively, movie-themed memorabilia can be purchased via Shopee as well, from 27 February to 13 March, where fans can look forward to special deals and giveaways. 

Vikram Sharma, head of consumer products, advertising and partnerships, WarnerMedia India, Southeast Asia and Korea, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that this marks its first partnership event with STB. "We’ve been in discussions with and working closely with STB for some time now. We have many high-profile movies and content launches scheduled for 2022 and 2023, and there will undoubtedly be more opportunities to collaborate," he said.

Additionally, Sharma said that XM Studios and Secretlab have been long-time partners who have worked with WarnerMedia on some of its biggest franchises, while Shopee has been a very close eCommerce partner that it has worked with on multiple regional campaigns. 

"They all embody the entrepreneurial spirit of Singapore and we’re very proud to have worked with local businesses to help expand their footprint and scale. With the support of STB and other local partners, this high-profile Batman-themed attraction will build excitement for fans of this iconic international Super Hero before they watch one of this year’s biggest DC blockbusters," he added.

Serene Tan, director, retail and dining, STB said: "We are excited by this innovative partnership with WarnerMedia. Bringing The Batman to Orchard Road adds to its buzz and vibrancy, and is part of our strategy to develop the precinct as a differentiated lifestyle destination with events and experiences beyond retail.”

Earlier this month, Warner Bros partnered with Moove Media, in collaboration with Havas Media, to launch 100 batmobiles across Singapore. The campaign, which runs until 15 March, aims to create awareness for the upcoming film The Batman, while taking on an innovative approach to the superhero's iconic batmobile. 

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Warner Bros has partnered with Sunway Pyramid to launch The Batman Experience, which allows fans to immerse themselves inside the world of Gotham. Held from 1 to 20 March, visitors can unlock riddles for a cup of Riddler-themed coffee, meet Batman cosplayers, participate in games and stand a chance to win a life-sized The Batman figure and limited movie merchandise.

This marks Sunway Pyramid's first international collaboration during the non-festive period season, as part of its strategy to continuously create peak cycles for footfall through international collaborations. In general, malls in Malaysia has at least four peak cycles: the Lunar New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas and mid-year school holiday weekends. Sunway Pyramid's general manager Jason Chin said, “As a mall owner-operator for over 20 years, we knew there is an upside to capitalise on the non-peak periods for traffic arrivals for sustainability of the business. This is where we collaborate to bring in exciting measures, such as a replica of Gotham City, to attract new shoppers and fulfil the potential of Sunway City simultaneously."

Additionally, Warner Bros will launch a three-day countdown to the release of the film in Malaysia with a Batman laser projection in the sky to signal the film's arrival. The laser projection kicks off on 1 March at Sunway Pyramid as part of a fan screening event, followed by Sunway Putra, Kuala Lumpur on 2 March and lastly at Bukit Bintang area in Kualar Lumpur City Centre on 3 March.

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