The world may be coming to an end in Sony Pictures Entertainment?s new disaster flick ?2012,? but not before the film company taps mobile for its marketing efforts.

To promote the new film, Sony launched two iPhone applications, Survive 2012 and 2012: Apocalypse. A toll-free number in conjunction with a character?s blog was also promoted online and outdoor, all to promote the new film.

?We look at mobile as being a really killer application, if you will,? said Dwight Caines, president of worldwide digital marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Culver City, CA. ?You have consumers out and about with devices at all times, and with smartphones they also stay connected to the Web.?

Sony Pictures Entertainment is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, which is under Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. Sony Pictures? worldwide operations include the creation and distribution of motion pictures, television and digital content.

2012 is an adventure film starring John Cusack about the end of the world as predicted by the ancient Mayan civilization. The film opens in theaters Nov. 13.

The Survive 2012 application is a free trivia game testing users? survival skills. Before the start of the game, players are encouraged to add three lifelines, people they can call if a question stumps them.

In 2012: Apocalypse, players control the elements such as windstorms, earthquakes and firestorms, while trying to avoid as much destruction as possible. The game features more than 30 levels and is available for $1.99.

Mr. Caines said integrating the calling feature into the free application was an alternative to having a special effects-driven game since the film is so dependent on graphics.

Also, it creates word of mouth for the movie by having users call others while in the middle of the game.

?We thought about trying to get the consumer through multiple avenues, so we have this quiz-based game and another premium application with buttons to connect the two,? Mr. Caines said.

Since the movie is rated PG-13, Mr. Caines said that the applications target consumers 13 years old and older.

The only promotions in the applications are for the other 2012 application and for the movie itself. In terms of advertising its content on the mobile platform, Sony said that it uses an ad network, but would not give the name.

In conjunction with the 2012 applications and other advertisements, Sony has placed outdoor and online calls-to-action for users to dial a toll-free number, 1-888-363-2012, to contact the Institute for Human Continuity (IHC).

?There?s an array of things in the menu relative to hearing about what the IHC is up to, and we?ve built in hacks for consumers to access the voicemail of character, it is paralleling the 2012 story,? Mr. Caines said.

?For every movie we have a WAP site that provides show times,? he said. ?Sony Pictures has an app that will also have show times provided by Fandango, there?s also messaging there.

?We use mobile to be all about the movie, not running ads to get app downloads, but to create movie awareness, it?s the choice we made on how we wanted to promote the campaign.?