Interactive Cinema For The Ears

Dec. 01, 2021

BMW is opening a new chapter in its successful audio strategy and continuing the successful fictional podcast series HYPNOPOLIS. The subject matter of the second series deals with sustainability and the circular economy while listeners can now intervene in the proceedings themselves through entertaining interactivity.

The strong focus on the medium of audio at BMW began last year. In contrast to other podcasts from the competitors, which primarily deal with cars, BMW was the first car brand to attempt a completely fictional, futuristic story-telling format: HYPNOPOLIS told the story of Hope Reiser, a journalist who, in the year 2063, awoke from a 30-year penalty that had unjustly sentenced her to a type of permanent slumber – called sleep stasis. During the course of the six enthralling episodes, listeners were able to follow how the protagonist resolves the fatal miscarriage of justice and tracks down her husband's true murderer.

The series that was conceived by British star author Robert Valentine together with the Hamburg-based creative agency Jung von Matt NEXT ALSTER and lavishly produced in Los Angeles and Hamburg has been a complete success. HYPNOPOLIS, a thrilling BMW podcast series, has taken the streaming charts by storm in more than 26 countries and registered more than seventy thousand downloads. This was an absolute top score for podcasts in the automotive segment and a clear indication that BMW has also backed the right horse in the field of audio. It is quite understandable that the Munich-based automotive group should want to follow on from this success – yet under the premise of not simply wanting to continue telling the story. Instead, the aim was to rethink the second series in terms of both content and form.

"HYPNOPOLIS II, Utopia in Progress" relies more strongly than series 1 on data-based future scenarios of the BMW Group. It is mainly concerned here with the megatrends of sustainability and the circular economy, with all resources being used in a responsible manner. Consequently, the protagonists of the ecological sci-fi thriller travel in futuristic airships to impressive locations in a world that is slowly regenerating itself, such as a gigantic solar and recycling farm in North Africa.

Stefan Ponikva, Vice President BMW Communication and Experience says:

"With the eco-thriller "HYPNOPOLIS, Utopia in Progress", the second part of our successful fictional podcast series, we are providing new, interactive elements for an even more individual listening experience. Listeners can influence the course of the story through their decisions – and so we are injecting emotional input into the brand and consistently pursuing our customer-centred marketing approach."

 

The listening experience has been significantly enhanced in series 2 As "HYPNOPOLIS II,Utopia in Progress" has been produced as an interactive podcast, listeners now have an opportunity to influence the proceedings with individual decisions – delivered via short voice commands. The end of the story varies according to an evaluation of the different decisions, lending the podcast an even more personal and entertaining effect.

David Leinweber, Creative Managing Director, Jung von Matt NEXT ALSTER said:

"We are delighted that BMW has again put a lot of faith in us and Robert Valentine to take care of the creation and production. And hope that once more we can offer good – and this time even interactive – entertainment.”

 

Another feature considered was consistent diversity of the casting. The performers involved have been casted globally according to their original dialects. The six episodes have again been produced by White Horse Music, Hamburg, and California Music, Los Angeles. As with the first series, the author was Robert Valentine and the supervising agency Jung von Matt NEXT ALSTER. EarReality was responsible for the interactive skill creation.

"HYPNOPOLIS II, Utopia in Progress" celebrates its premiere on 1 December 2021 on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube and on all podcast sources.