TCA: Crackle Announces New Name and New Game

Of the streamers only Crackle is free to consumers a distinction that General Manager of Crackle and Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer of Sony Pictures Television Networks Eric Berger pointed out to reporters and critics at the serviceamp8217s session on SundayHe also announced that Crackle in the spring will be rebranded as Sony Crackleamp160 amp8220We will be introducing this new look and brand and pressing the reset on our interface to create an even better amp8216always onamp8217 experienceamp8221 he said amp160amp8220This is just the beginning of what will be a global effort on the part of our company to fully integrate the Sony name into our portfolio of content brands amp160Our goal is to lean into the power of what Sony stands foramp8220Itamp8217s a time of real change in our industryamp8221 he continuedamp160 amp8220At Sony and more specifically at Crackle we are hyperfocused on the intersection of storytelling and technologyamp160 We know that building that special bond with fans is more important than ever before and itamp8217s also important for viewers to understand why Crackle is differentamp8221Berger acknowledged that with so many OTT services in play and so many more on the horizon the choices for consumers can be overwhelmingamp160 amp8220What viewers are often left with is sticker shock which is why Iamp8217m glad to say that Crackle remains freeamp8221 he notedamp160 amp8220We are the No 1 over the top premium ad supported network the only free service with scripted originals and we are available in over 21 countries including the US and Canadaamp8220We are the only streaming network backed by a major Hollywood studio and unlike other streaming players we are not trying to be all things to all peopleamp8221 he addedamp160 amp8220We are curated and although we are a streaming service our philosophy is to program Crackle much like a linear network amp160We look at beliefs and values as a way of predicting intent rather than a specific age or gender amp160We know our audience and thatamp8217s been invaluable But thereamp8217s something more that gives us an edge and thatamp8217s being part of the Sony family amp160When it comes to brand recognition there is no question about where Sony rates amp160It consistently ranks in the top 100 global brandsamp8221Hence the decision to rebrand the serviceamp160 The soontobe Sony Crackle made sure to make an impact at TCA even though it was the 44th panel in the cable and streaming portion of the touramp160 Before introducing a panel for the serviceamp8217s upcoming actiondrama series The Oath which is executive produced by Curtis amp821650 Centamp8217 Jackson Berger announced that its upcoming original movie In the Cloud about the evolution of virtual reality and artificial intelligence and the consequences that arise when they are controlled by terrorists will have an original VR companion pieceamp160 It will be released on February 1 ahead of the filmamp8217s premiere February 8In another example of the soontobe Sony Crackle positioning itself at amp8220the intersection of storytelling and technologyamp8221 Berger also announced that Sonyamp8217s VR heist game amp8220Snatchamp8221 a companion to the serviceamp8217s scripted action series of the same name reviewed here by our own Ainsley Andrade will be available on PlayStation on January 16 amp160Critics had the opportunity to delve into the VR experience at a lunch sponsored by Crackle which transformed the massive lobby lounge here at the Langham Pasadena Hotel into a set from The Oath that39s the entry pictured at topamp160amp160The VR game stars cast members from Snatch which is currently shooting its second season in Spain the challenge for players is to crack a giant safeAlso on the digital front the third season of Crackleamp8217s thriller StartUp which is centered on the world of cryptocurrency has begun filming its third season in Puerto Ricoamp160 The Oath is also shot thereamp160 Sony made a donation in the name of each critic who attended the Crackle lunch to support relief organizations that continue to work on the island in the wake of Hurricane Mariaamp160amp160amp8220We were there before and after Hurricane Maria and our return this past fall to complete our final episode was incredibly moving for all involvedamp8221 Berger saidamp160 amp8220We are excited about the opportunity to support their film communityamp8221Several actors from the cast of The Oath reflected on the experience of working around the onslaught of Hurricane Maria as well as evacuations in advance of other storms that ultimately did not damage the islandamp8220We all felt very connected to our crewamp8221 said Elisabeth Rohmamp160 amp8220They were primarily Puerto Rican amp160We were really thrilled that Sony and Crackle allowed us to go back and finish amp160After each evacuation to go back into that environment and to stay committed to our crew and to continue to bring money and creativity and production there amp8230 thatamp8217s the only way they can rebuildamp160 Specifically after Maria we went back for the last two weeks of production and all of us did volunteer workamp160 Itamp8217s still a mess there and still requires a lot of supportamp8221amp8220It felt really really good to go back to bring more jobs because most of the Puerto Rican families they didnamp8217t have anything you knowamp8221 added Cory Hardrictamp160 amp8220They didnamp8217t have shelter amp160They didnamp8217t have clean drinking water amp160So to go back I felt like that meant everything to us just to see human lives you know amp160You know what Iamp8217m saying amp160Itamp8217s like it was our obligation to go back amp160Even though we live here in LA I feel like the Puerto Rican people are the same amp160Itamp8217s just one amp160And thatamp8217s how we treated it amp160You know we were all family and it all comes from a loving place and thatamp8217s what it should be aboutamp8221amp8220Every day you go to work and you hug these peopleamp8221 said JJ Soria who chose to remain on the island during Hurricane Irma but evacuated for Mariaamp160 amp8220Itamp8217s like oh letamp8217s do it again amp160Weamp8217re on this ride together amp160Weamp8217re doing thisamp160 We rode that ride together and it brought us all closer together for sureamp8221amp8220There was an amazing amount of survivoramp8217s guilt getting on the plane and leaving the island and leaving this family that weamp8217d spent so much time and worked so hard withamp8221 said series creator and executive producer Joe Halpinamp160 amp8220But it was also great to be able to tell them that we were coming back after the hurricane that we didnamp8217t abandon them and that we continued to shoot the showquotClick on the social media tiles above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively those of 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TCA: Crackle Announces New Name and New Game

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