Activision Publishing is requesting photos and videos of fans playing the new Skylanders game for a chance to win prizes since it is now compatible on the latest tablet devices for play.

The new game Skylanders Trap Team can now be played outside of its original gaming console on tablets, in addition to its starter packs now available at Apple retail stores and the Apple App Store. The social promotion, which began Nov. 20 and goes through Dec. 11, is encouraging the use of hashtags #TrapAndPlaySweeps and #Skylanders.

“Tablets are growing rapidly in popularity with kids because a tablet offers them entertainment on their own agenda,” said John Coyne, senior vice president of consumer marketing at Activision, Manhattan Beach, CA. “Skylanders Trap Team marks the first time a full AAA console game launched day-and-date on both tablet and console.

“Recognizing the proliferation of tablet gaming among kids and parents, Activision is delivering a premium game experience on tablet with Skylanders Trap Team, as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering amazing content everywhere our fans are,” he said.

Increasing consumption rates
Through extending the number of channels the new game can be played on, Skylanders allows itself to be consumed at higher rates.

Players of Skylanders games are called Portal Masters. For this campaign, Activision is asking Portal Masters to share how they trap villians in the Skylanders Trap Team game. To participate, users can post photos or videos of themselves playing the game to social media sites and use the corresponding hashtags.

For the first time, Skylanders Trap Team is available on the latest iPad, Kindle Fire and Android tablets. Specifically, the game is compatible with third and fourth generation iPads, such as the iPad mini Retina, the iPad Air, the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3.

The brand promises that users will enjoy the same quality experience on tablets as they do on the original console.

To play the game via one of the mentioned tablets, users must use a specific controller. The controller comes with the purchase of the tablet-compatible game.

Gaming on social
Social promotion is helping to drive this brand’s efforts. Other brands have performed similar acts to get their efforts off the ground.

For example, sweepstakes marketer Publishers Clearing House continues its digital expansion with the launch of a new mobile application that enables users to share information on social about sweepstakes.

In conjunction with the launch of its free PCH Lotto Blast app on Friday, Publishers Clearing House is holding a $1 million giveaway on PCHLotto.com and the new app. The app rollout follows PCH’s acquisition two years ago of Liquid Wireless, a move that bolstered its ability to create and deploy mobile campaigns by helping the company track activity from lead generation and click-through to post conversion sale (see story).

Similar to Activision’s efforts for the Skylanders brand, sandwich chain Schlotzsky’s recently boosted customer engagement and brand awareness by introducing two mobile games on a mobile application that has seen 100,000 downloads since its unveiling this summer.

Users of the app can play Scratch, Match & Win for food and drink prizes, including a free sandwich every week for a year, and Stackin’ The Original, which challenges players to move up levels as they stack sandwich ingredients, letting them share results on Facebook. The games continue the chain’s efforts to integrate a digital rewards program with social sharing and in-app referrals to let customers take the business viral (see story).

Activision hopes to please Skylanders’ fans through its actions. By providing content on multiple devices, players can participate in more ways.

“With Skylanders Trap Team, we want give our players a premiere toys-to-life experience everywhere our fans want to play, which led us to create the tablet version of the game,” Mr. Coyne said. “Like the console version of the game, all Skylanders toys are forward compatible and playable across all platforms, truly allowing Portal Masters to play wherever and whenever they want.

“The #TrapAndPlaySweeps honors our fans and celebrates their expression of how like they to play Sklyanders,” he said.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York