Hulu Original mystery-comedy series “Only Murders in the Building” follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) with a shared interest in true crime podcasts who launch their own amateur investigation and podcast when a grisly murder takes place in their affluent Upper West Side apartment building, The Arconia. The trio continues to find themselves faced with suspicious murders that they set out to solve through their podcast.
In Season 4 of the series, as our true crime heroes investigate their trickiest mystery yet, the murder of a close friend, a Hollywood studio is shooting a movie based on the Only Murders Podcast.
Fans of Hulu’s mystery-comedy “Only Murders in the Building” are among the most engaged audiences of all Hulu Original series. Ahead of the show’s season 4 premiere, the brand’s goal was to create a next-level immersive activation that would reward the most die-hard fans for their devotion to the series.
“Only Murders in the Building” has been solving murders for three seasons, and with the debut of season 4, Hulu wanted to give fans a mystery of their own to solve – in person.
Hulu Originals launched the Only Murders in the Building Escape Room Experience, a branded escape room that asked participants to help their favorite true crime trio save their film project. After the reel of their movie goes missing, it’s up to the player to use their instincts to unlock clues, solve puzzles, and ultimately, get the reel back into the right hands.
The experience was played across sets that looked like rooms in the Arconia and included hidden bookcase doorways, secret passageways, and immersive elements that made attendees feel as though they’d entered the “Only Murders” universe. Throughout the hour-long experience, attendees uncovered the latest secrets of the Arconia’s residents, relived their favorite show moments, and interacted with props and Easter eggs from the series.
The Only Murders in the Building Escape Room Experience was created in partnership with purveyors of action-adventure games, The Escape Game, and was available for fans to play at select The Escape Game locations in New York City and Los Angeles.
The Only Murders in the Building Escape Room Experience was a massive hit.
The activation earned more than 5 billion media hits and attracted attendees from all over the globe, including Latin America and Europe. The limited execution is now a full-time partnership.
