• by Wayne Friedman , September 17, 2009

NBC Universal and Sprint are renewing their marketing deal with new digital online elements for the fourth season of the network's drama "Heroes." Starting Sept. 28 and continuing for 10 consecutive weeks, an original "Heroes" story will be released on the multiple platforms of NBC.com and Sprint.

The new digital elements will revolve around a mysterious traveling carnival populated by a group of people with extraordinary abilities. Three members of the on-air cast will appear in the online content.

NBC says all the creative content will run parallel to the "Heroes" narrative on its TV airing. Each new piece of content will be launched by a 30-second TV scene of the show, which will direct fans to online, mobile and interactive gaming sites.

Some of the multiplatform experience for "Heroes" this season will include graphic novels for mobile devices -- interactive SMS synced to broadcast and interactive story lines from which Sprint users will receive clues to unlock a mystery.

There will also be a $25,000 sweepstakes, which links the interactive story; a "Heroes" survival game; one-minute scenes airing online directly tied to the on-air show; a carnival story line micro-site; and a carnival-themed online games.