Editor’s Note: This blog article originally appeared on the Unicast Blog.
Our clients are always in search of the next big thing, the out-of-the-box solution that will make a big impact. I’ve seen some great out-of-the-box executions both from our internal clients and out there on the web as a regular user, and the one from this article stands out as a great example. It used ASCII art along with a sort of virtual scavenger hunt to really engage its users. Here’s why I think this and other out-of-the-box ads have worked so well:
1. They knew their audience. People who play video games are often a little more tech-savvy than the rest of us. The Dante’s Inferno ad catered directly to the nerds in their target audience (and lest I offend anyone, I should note that I am a HUGE nerd, so I count myself among them).
2. They made it fun. Collecting passwords from six different images to unlock one final bit of information? Sounds a lot like the video games that their audience is already playing.
3. They made it worth it. Getting access to exclusive music and art is a pretty nice payoff for someone who has done all that work.
The trick with out-of-the-box ads is not to do it just to do it. Sure, it might be visually appealing and do some neat tricks, but the best ones know their audience, make it fun for them and reward them with a pertinent payoff.
Learn more about Wieden+Kennedy’s high-tech campaign for Electronic Arts’ Dante’s Inferno game here: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=123870
As a Flash Producer for the Unicast Full Episode Player team, Andrea Bridges-Smith designs, adjusts and build rich media ad units, working with both internal and external clients to provide custom creative solutions for their rich media needs. Prior to Unicast, Andrea was Key Account Manager at Apple for education customers, primarily the New York City Department of Education.