BrightLine brings FX’s The Bear’s kitchen to the living room

The fifth and final season of FX’s hit series “The Bear” is now available on FX and Hulu, and BrightLine has partnered with Disney Advertising and State Farm® to cook up a custom advergame that brings restaurant kitchen moments to life.

The TV advergame gives the viewer 30 seconds to plate orders that come through a ticket at the top of the screen. Using their remote control, the viewer-turned-gamer must hurriedly plate the correct dishes as the clock ticks.

What makes this advergame feel authentic are the details: the unrelenting countdown, "Yes, Chef" when a plate is correct, the dreaded "Wrong dish, Chef" that creates a backlog and tickets coming through the moment a plate is done. You feel, as the trailer says, “outgunned,” “outmanned” and like "every second counts."

Familiar stories and characters give audiences an immediate reason to participate. Based on internal BrightLine data, interactive formats that capitalize on intellectual property like popular movies, shows, books and video games generate 70% higher engagement compared to interactive ads that aren't associated with IP.

“We’re unlocking a new era of interactive storytelling through formats like advergaming that redefine what’s possible at the intersection of premium content and interactivity,” said Jamie Power, SVP of Addressable Sales at Disney Advertising. “As technology evolves, so does how we connect with consumers – and with partners like BrightLine, we’re scaling immersive experiences that deepen engagement and accelerate measurable impact for advertisers.”

“The best brand experiences start with something people are already passionate about,” said Alyson Griffin, Head of Marketing at State Farm. “The Bear has built an incredibly engaged fan base, and this gave us an opportunity to connect with audiences through the energy and intensity of the kitchen they’ve come to love. By bringing that experience into an interactive format, we’re creating a fun way for fans to step into the action rather than simply watching it.”

Advergames are becoming increasingly popular, with brands already having created gift matching, sports themed and arcade style games with BrightLine. And what's more: they rack up 3 times more engagement compared to simpler interactive units. With up to 95% of Gen Z and Alpha identifying as gamers, advergaming is a format that BrightLine is all-in on.

"Interactivity is the future of TV advertising. Brands are no longer just interrupting content — they are becoming part of it. And with the next generation of viewers growing up as gamers, engagement is becoming the standard," says Rob Aksman, President of BrightLine. The company plans to release a UDK (Universal Software Development Kit) later this year, which will provide low-latency, scalable advergames that are even more advanced than what exists today.

Last year, BrightLine found that engagement drove lift in all five metrics tested: unaided brand recall (+33%), brand favorability (+12%), ad likeability (+8%), brand interest (+4%) and purchase intent (+8%). For brands ready to stop interrupting and start engaging, the ticket is in. To learn more visit brightline.tv.

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