When it comes to reaching out to “digital natives,” people born in the 1980s and beyond who are used to having technology at their fingertips, you have to look at different mediums. That’s why when Mazda Canada wanted to engage a university-aged audience, who is particularly critical and cynical, to promote its 2007 Graduate Program, the auto manufacturer decided to launch a live-action advergame at www.campusjoyride.ca with its agency, Doner Canada, and branded entertainment agency Fuel Industries, Ottawa.
“The world is at their fingertips. If you are really going to talk to people and get people interested, then you pretty much have to be on their wavelength,” explained Brady Gilchrist, executive VP of strategy at Fuel. “One of the problems with advertising these days is how much attention people actually give you. We wanted to create an experience that was going to be interesting and fun and worth people’s times and also engage someone long enough to make the point that Mazda is trying to so something a little different. And that goes a long way, especially with this target market.
Campus Joyride is a live-video driving experience that takes players across three fictional campuses, all based on Canadian Universities. Fuel Industries’ production arm, Karbon Arc, shot video footage of three tracks around three Canadian University campuses and then Fuel developed an engine that would allow players to virtually drive the track. Ballots can be earned for the number of Mazdas spotted on the track, and the name of one student will be drawn at the end of the campaign to win a Mazda 3 Sport.
Among the challenges Fuel encountered was experimenting with technologies to speed up and slow down video as players are driving around the track and making seamless transitions with the video based on user input. “Every second you have someone’s attention you have to think about the user experience and whether or not you are making a good impression and whether or not they think it’s cool,” Gilchrist said.” When you think of how many messages we are bombarded with a day, if you see something that feels like it’s same old, guess what?–it is. They’re not going to pay attention.”
What helped the target audience pay even closer attention to the campaign was the online battle of the bands called the Mazda Rockin’ Roll Call that the agency developed to generate interest in the site. Canadian University and college bands were asked to upload their tracks and have their fans vote for their top 25 choices. From there a panel of judges, including Spin Magazine executive editor Doug Brod, narrowed it down to five bands whose music is featured in the game.
Gilchrist said this campaign was pretty elaborate and only happened because the agency was very open and very collaborative as was the client.
“Anything that steps beyond the norm, people have to have the courage to take the chances. In this case we were really lucky to have both an agency that was really intrigued with thinking beyond what the norm is and a client that was willing to pay for it. That’s a big deal,” Gilchrist said.
Is “Glicked” The New “Barbenheimer”? “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Hit Theater Screens
"Barbenheimer" was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn't stopped people from trying to make "Glicked" — or even "Babyratu" — happen.
The counterprogramming of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.
And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, "Saw Patrol" ).
This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation "Wicked" opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic "Gladiator II." Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: "Wickiator," "Wadiator," "Gladwick" and even the eyebrow raising "Gladicked" have all been suggested.
"'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more," actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of "Gladiator II" this week. "I think we should all band around 'Glicked.' It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it."
As with "Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, "Glicked" also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging... Read More