USA Network launched a fun new interactive social media mystery game tie-in for its hit TV show Psych. The game is called #HashTagKiller and it takes place on the Web using Facebook's Open Graph API. The game launched on Wednesday and will unfold online over the next seven weeks. The game uses video created with the cast specifically for the game, as well as puzzles, clues and Facebook messages between series leads Shawn and Gus.
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Users can visit hashtagkiller.com to get started and sign up using Facebook. We had a chance to talk to Jesse Redniss, VP of digital about the campaign, Psych and the state of social TV.
Psych has a very active social media following with Facebook. In December, USA was also one of the first networks to release a second-screen app for the show. Redniss attended SXSW Interactive this year, along with Psych creator Steve Franks and star Dule Hill. I had a chance to interview all three at the Mashable SXSWi House that we setup with Facebook Live.
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It turns out, SXSW was the catalyst for the #HashTagKiller online game. After SXSW was over, Hill became active on social media, frequently engaging with fans from Twitter and Facebook. This set in motion the idea of creating a special case, accessible online for the fans of the show.
After the idea was hatched, Psych writers got to work on a script. In addition to the online elements of the game, stars James Roday and Dule Hill also star in video clips that will roll out as part of the game each week. The clips are designed to mimic the look and feel of the show. During the week, players can log into HashTagKiller.com to get more clues and messages and continue to try to track down the killer and solve the case.
The result is a fully integrated social TV experience. What we like about this approach is that the producers, writers and cast were involved from the offset and social media were part of the narrative structure -- not simply an add-on after the fact.
Early Results Are Promising
Redniss shared with Mashable some of the early numbers from the game. In the first 12 hours of being online, more than 13,000 unique visitors visited HashTagKiller.com. Of those visitors, 10,000 signed up for the game. At its peak Wednesday afternoon, the website was fielding over 6,000 requests a minute.
Even more impressive than the early sign-up figures -- which took place entirely from social network-based promotion -- is the average time users spent on the site. Redniss tells us that the average user spent more than 12 and a half minutes on the site. Additionally, 22% of visitors returned at least once within the first 12 hours.
These early figures show just how well this sort of campaign works with its audience. USA understands its audience and is looking to actively include it in various social initiatives.
For instance, next week, the network will be holding a special Fan Appreciation Day for Pysch fans in New York City. Fans will be given the opportunity to watch the season 6 premiere episode before it airs on TV on Oct. 12. USA will be livestreaming the event (sans premiere episode), which will include interviews with the writers, cast and crew and will answer questions posed by fans online and at the event.
Making Other Shows More Social
Psych has a socially engaged audience, which is one reason a campaign like #HashTagKiller is already off to such a solid start. What about USA's other show that might have a less social audience? I asked Redniss about what the network is looking to do to increase the social activity for its other properties.
Redniss told me that using various social networks -- including its popular Chatter real-time chat program, the network hopes to graduate its existing shows and its new skeins to a more social atmosphere.
Chatter is powered by Echo and lets users login and chat in real-time about a TV show as it airs. Chatter has proven to be successful for the network, especially in introducing audiences to the concept of social TV.
Mashable Interviews Cast & Crew from Psych at SXSW 2011 at Facebook Live
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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