Different league: Heineken app is on the ball

London – Beer brand Heineken has launched a new iPhone app that lets people play a virtual game during UEFA Champions League football matches.

The Star Player app gives participants eight attempts during a Champions League fixture to predict whether a team will score in the next 30 seconds. If they are correct, players receive points, which can also be gained by predicting the outcome of a corner or free kick.

‘This is about anticipation,’ says James Hilton, co-founder of creative agency AKQA, which created the app. ‘It’s about trusting your instincts to make the right call at the right moment, just like a Champions League footballer. We wanted to put people in the game.’

The app enables people to compete against one another too. Scores can also be published on the player’s Facebook profile.

For more on how brands are using games to engage with consumers and convey their brand identity, read our Gamification micro trend.