I took the photo above in an LA suburb during my work commute yesterday.

Trigger did the MNU website a few months back, but I feel like the propaganda and fear campaigns are getting out of control. Have you called the number in this photo?

Are you one of the legion of devoted Sam Raimi fans? Have you been waiting over 20 long years for his next horror flick? If so, you are surely anxiously awaiting the May 29 debut of Drag Me to Hell. In this scary and darkly humorous film, a loan officer denies an elderly woman’s loan extension to get ahead, and, consequently, literally has hell to pay.

Today, Trigger has fully launched the Drag Me to Hell official website! The site is a full-screen, immersive video and sound experience. Learn about the film, check out the gallery, see videos, even buy tickets to the show. You are also invited to send a curse to a Facebook friend using the Jinx the Cat Facebook application (also Trigger-built). Finally, the site includes a lifelike, 3D fly who accompanies you through the site and at times interacts with the content.

Visit the Drag Me to Hell official website»

Drag Me to iPhone!

Update June 16, 2009: Trigger has also optimized the Drag Me To Hell EPK website for the iPhone. For the iPhone, the client wanted to push the envelope as much as possible for the current iPhone OS platform and Safari version. The end product was a dual site that has a ” light” html only version and a cooler animated version. Each side has the same content: video from the movie, gallery, downloads, story information, ticketing and mapping functionality via Google maps. The iPhone application includes many cool features, including flame and fly animations, 3D flip around page transitions and photo coverflow for the wallpapers and gallery. Check out the Drag Me To Hell EPK website on your iPhone!

Earlier this month, Jason (our President and Executive Creative Director) spoke on a panel about the impact of GPS and location-based services on the mobile industry. Topics included the business models involved, technology considerations, and the convergence of entertainment, LBS, and content. The conversation was captured in a two part article on MobilizedTV.com entitled “Mobile GPS Opens Doors to Content, Commerce.”

In the article, Jason foreshadows that interesting developments in mobile content are approaching, such as applications that offer coupons only when you are in a location. Imagine: “…you’re sitting in a movie theatre waiting for the movie to start. We know you’re at the theatre, so we give you a quiz about the movie and you can go up with a scanner to the popcorn line and pick up a free popcorn. Trigger is also investigating augmented reality and image recognition possibilities. For example: “…Take a photo of a movie poster and image recognition unlocks a coupon.

Although this might sound complicated, in Jason’s opinion, the most important thing is to keep things simple. As he said on the panel, Geeks and nerds get caught up trying to create something amazing, but if 90 percent of your users can figure it out, it’s failed.

Jason also spoke about the agendas involved in film studio marketing, choosing the most appropriate platform for your brand to avoid potential pitfalls, inserting advertising the “right” way, and engaging consumers with a “pull” system.

If you find GPS and LBS as thrilling as we do (and want to know how to entice potential mobile customers), or are a consumer excited about future possibilities in mobile content, you will enjoy reading the articles below.

Read Part 1 of “Mobile GPS Opens Doors to Content, Commerce” »

Read Part 2 of “Mobile GPS Opens Doors to Content, Commerce” »

Being an internal fan of the Trigger blog, I was scouring old posts the other day and found a link to the city graffiti removal service. I was curious whether it still worked (being a new Angeleno as well). After submitting a report of tags near the office, I soon received the following message from the Office of City Beautification:

“On behalf of the City of Los Angeles and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and your city council, thank you for contacting 3-1-1 on May 19, 2009 to report graffiti...”

Hmmm…. Office of City Beautification… can you do something about the smog now?

If you’re hooked on the Taking of Pelham 1 2 3: Hijacker vs. SWAT graphic novel, you’ve already helped the hijackers defeat the SWAT team and run off with the ransom. Or, if you’re like one of our producers, you have a personal ethical conflict with playing the hijacker role and are waiting to be one of the good guys (yeah, that’s it… has nothing to do with gaming skills…).

Either way, it’s your lucky day! The SWAT play mode for the graphic novel is now live. It’s time to beat the bad guys and save the hostages! The lives of virtual citizens depend on you!

Play the SWAT mode of the Taking of Pelham 1 2 3: Hijacker vs. SWAT graphic novel »

“…behind the scenes, new technologies and new techniques enrich the palette of visual possibilities and expand the ways in which filmmakers can reach out to audiences in an increasingly competitive media landscape. The Key Art Awards reflect all these trends.” – Eric Mika, Publisher, the Hollywood Reporter

Today, we received word that Trigger had been named as a finalist for Key Art Awards for its work for Wanted and Star Wars Clone Wars: Live Fire. For nearly 40 years, the Key Art Awards has been the only international competition that honors agencies behind the marketing for the motion picture and home entertainment industry.

Trigger is honored to have been named a finalist in the “New Media – Best Digital Campaign” category for Wanted and “New Media – Special Recognition – Most Buzzworthy” category for Star Wars Clone Wars: Live Fire.

Read the full listing of Key Art Awards»

Last year, Trigger built the website for Red Bull Racing USA, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto racing team owned by Red Bull. Red Bull approached us again this year to redesign the site with the company’s 2009 branding.

This is a very frequently updated site that is constantly growing, so the redesign was a healthy challenge – we uncovered quite a few new secret sections while applying the new design (see if you can find them, too!).

Check out the site redesign at redbullracingusa.com.

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what is capable of receiving.” – Albert Einstein

At Trigger, we’re thankful for all that we’ve received, but the contracts we’re awarded and the honors we earn hold the most value for us when they allow us to give back.

We’re extremely proud of what the Trigger family has been able to accomplish via Trigger Change, especially during a worldwide economic recession. In fact, we specifically decided to stay the course and continue the program during the downturn.

You can learn more about Trigger Change in our latest press release at SHOOT.

The Trigger-produced EPK site for Sony Pictures’ Angels & Demons is today’s Adobe Site of the Day! It is also the film’s opening day, so we are inclined to think this was somehow written in the stars.

Experience the Angels & Demons site and get the inside scoop before seeing the film this weekend!

The Adobe Site of the Day recognizes websites that make strong use of strong visual designs, offer superior functionalities, and use Adobe products in innovative ways. Check out the Adobe Site of the Day here.

Trigger created the Jinx the Cat Facebook application for the latest Sam Raimi horror release, Drag Me to Hell. This application gives the Facebook audience a chance get into the scary fun of the film by cursing friends with such frivolities as “snorting laughter” and “granny panties.”

After accepting Jinx the Cat from a friend, users must send curses to keep Jinx (himself cursed) from gradually decomposing.

Add the Jinx the Cat application to your Facebook profile here (or be cursed to miss out on the fun).