Ray on DVD (2005)
Until this point, we had been moving forward. First, create a simple picture and call it an ad. Then, devise an animation and call that an ad. More recently, create two animations (or more), piece them together to interact with each other, and call that an ad. More often than not, the result was something that looked, well, like it was in pieces. The pieces were well designed and worked together, but in the end, not necessarily a fully formed "whole."
Then Jamie Foxx donned a pair of Wayfarers and wowed the world with his interpretation of Ray Charles. Once the Oscar buzz started, it came time for Universal Pictures to release the movie on DVD, and it chose a series of expandables to promote DVD sales online.
When created, these ads worked backward, asking the question, "What if you only see the whole picture when the ad is fully expanded?" The result was the first true microsite as an expandable. The banner itself, while appealing, was a teaser for the full ad. When expanded, the panels and banner worked together, seamlessly, to form a miniature site that let the user learn about the features of the DVD, see stills from the film, listen to music from the soundtrack, and watch trailers and clips for the movie. This single campaign set the standard for how expandables should be and still are created.
