Creative Agency: The Aura Group
For such a highly technical and creative film, Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) tapped The Aura Group to showcase many aspects of this release with a targeted and informative banner campaign. It was clear early on that WIP wanted to push the technological barriers with the production of "A Scanner Darkly," and this banner campaign was no different. Video, text messaging and downloadable content were all stressed as a "must-have" to engage the viewer and create a two-way dialog.
What is unique about this creative is the extensive re-use of coding to keep the banner within file size guidelines while streaming in six videos and more than 26 downloads. We also coded a custom smoothing feature into the 'on-the-fly' expandable video to make it display better when zoomed.
Closing the loop with the viewer is important. We wanted to be able to leave the viewer with a carry-away so we partnered with 43KIX, a movie time-and-location service started by movie advertising gurus Terry Hines and Associates. Unfortunately, 43KIX was designed to only be accessed via mobile phones, so our team built a custom sign-up system to integrate the service into banner campaigns. We added bi-directional communication with 43KIX which allowed for error checking and queries right into the database for immediate communication. This feature accompanied not only the rich-media creative, but all banner ads.
Our creative director, Cutberto Garcia, thought it would also be unique if the viewer could get "scanned" as depicted in the movie, so we added the first-ever webcam and banner communication. If a viewer clicks on the '"What does a scanner see" button and they have a webcam, the banner displays the webcam's video feed.
Banners no longer need to be a small teaser; they can now contain mini websites. This is a good example of delivering extensive content right to the customer by utilizing a medium once thought to be limited.
-- David Bailey, CEO/founder, The Aura Group
I'm hooked. As soon as I clicked on "rollover to expand," the larger interactive banner launched into an animated video trailer and engaged me. Of course, Aura Group had a star-studded cast (Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Rider) to work with and legitimize the film and banner campaign. But, the implementation of the Scanner Darkly banner was nearly flawless. The animated scenes and characters within each of the video clips create that edge and acute anxiety to need to know more. The viewer gets sucked in to this disturbing psychological story that penetrates your soul and lets darkness creep in.
As my synapses are firing and nerves awake, the banner auto-launches a built-in Instant Message from a guy named Fred, asking me, "Do you ever hear strange clicking noises on your phone?" I never respond to these marketing ploys, but this time I do. Remember, I'm hooked. I click to play another video clip and a different Instant Message appears. Fred and I continue the dialogue and he becomes a disturbed friend of mine that is thoroughly freaking me out.
This banner campaign hits the target market (18-45-year-olds) brilliantly. The call to action is clear: visit the movie website to learn more about the movie-- and ultimately increase your mental anguish because you will never get the full story until watching the movie in July. There is a tremendous amount of content contained within the banner microsite. Mobile phone reminders, personalization and Outlook calendar reminders create a deeper individual connection to the movie. Wallpapers, AIM icons and screensavers resonate with a slightly younger audience. The banner campaign utilizes the one-to-one nature of the online experience well; however it could do a better job of making it easier to promote sending the banner (or website) to a friend. Aside from suggesting more viral components within this campaign, I am thoroughly impressed with the real emotion (anxiety, fear, and hunger to learn more) that this banner campaign delivers.
-- Ryan Buchanan, CEO, eROI, Inc.
In recent years, the term "creative" has taken on a new meaning, as has the term "rich media." Banner ads are becoming minisites, with user interaction now expected within an ad itself, not as the result of a clickthrough to a larger site. The creative people in agencies are now a collaboration of artists, technologists and marketers-- or one very talented individual.
With the Aura Group's "A Scanner Darkly" banner, these ideas are illustrated perfectly. This is the richest of rich media. It's all here in what appears to be a simple banner with an invitation to "rollover to expand." Do so, and you're hooked, addicted-- and made to feel as if you're being watched.
The text-messaging portion of the banner is fun, with the hyper-paranoid Fred interrupting to ask, "Did you hear that?" and "How well do you think you know your friends?"
Options abound, and the graphic novel video treatment by itself is an eye-catcher. The idea of placing the visitor's webcam feed directly into the banner was simple-- and genius. "I'm in a banner ad!" Pretty cool stuff. Video, wallpapers, AIM icons, mobile reminders and more all brilliantly executed within a banner ad. Creatives of the world, you have been challenged.
By the way, a clickthrough to the official site is worth the time. I predict a box-office bonanza.
-- Dave Wilkie, creative director, Kinetic Results, LLC