A presentation I recently gave to OMD UK (part of Omnicom Media Group) about creating games for marketing campaigns. Presentation featured two key case studies by Candyspace. Particular focus was on creating ARGs (alternate reality games) and treasure-hunt mechanics

1. Creating games for brands
October 2012

2. Candyspace Offering
What we do
Candyspace delivers cutting edge mobile and multichannel digital solutions.
We do this better than anyone else due to:
• Our extraordinary experience in mobile
• Our deep understanding of today’s multi-device consumer
• Our strategic approach & innovative ideas
• Our cutting edge technical capability and bespoke platforms
• Everything we do is developed in-house – we never outsource
The result = Technically feasible creative ideas that deeply engage consumers across
channels

3. Candyspace Offering
Our Solutions
Mobile and digital solutions that help clients:
• Drive sales
• Brand awareness & immersion
• Launch products & services
• Enhance content propositions
• Educate consumers
All Technologies:
PHP, .NET, HTML 5, CSS3, Flash, Flex and Java.
Native mobile & desktop – iOS, Java, Android, Symbian & Air.
Optimised for all web browsers and over 7000 mobile devices.

4. Candyspace
Why create a game?
What are talking about?
• “Adding gaming elements to marketing campaigns”
Why should brands do it?
• Leverages basic human desires: reward, status, achievement, self-expression & competition
• Great way to get customers to engage with brands – on their terms
• Very high dwell time
• Cut-through
• The viral effect / utilising customers’ social networks for brand activity
• Boost impact of media

5. Our best games…

6. Virgin Media TV
Taking fans on an epic
treasure-hunt, blending
realities and delivering a
supernatural experience

7. Supernatural
Background
• Supernatural had an established TV
show on ITV2 for 4 seasons
• Living TV bought it for seasons 5&6

8. Candyspace
Our challenge
1. Migrate fans
2. Fuel viewing

9. Supernatural
Insight
• Supernatural fans live and breathe their
passion online
- We needed to tap into these existing
behaviours
- Give fans a unique experience
- Show them we really understand the show

10. The strategy
Comms strategy
Share their obsession!
1. Prove that we are obsessive
2. Shout about it

11. Overview
Our solution
We created an ARG (Fight the Apocalypse) with
the ultimate prize
• We created competitive armies of obsessed
fans
• Launched a nationwide treasure hunt for hidden
symbols
• Players could play online or via their mobiles

12. Developing the plot
Immersing fans in the show
• Fight the Apocalypse was closely
tied the storyline
- Use of Enochian Sigils
- Building armies to help in fight vs.
Lucifer
• Worked with the talent
- Clues, content distributed via
microsite
– Use of

13. Developing the plot
Game overview
Main game actions (via dedicated microsite):
• Create an army & build profile
• Recruit friends
• Form alliances to gain points
• Collect sigils via fans’ mobiles
• Listen to clues from Angel Castiel
• Take knowledge quiz to prove dedication

14. The microsite Build Army
Players could recruit
friends to join their
army by email, text
and Facebook.
Advanced
mapping
technology Clue Portal feed
The latest clues
were incorporated in
the dashboard,
allowing all functions
to be carried out
from one place.
Knowledge is
Strength quiz
Manage
Alliances Launched half way
through the
campaign to find
most dedicated fans
Sigil Collection

15. A trail of discovery
Enochian Sigils
• Sigils formed the core currency of the game
• Players needed to find & collect 25 unique sigils via MMS
Online TV Print Real world
Various online sites & TV spots running on Various press titles Including haunted house
blogs, forums, fan sites Living TV to remind fans including Metro we created, cemeteries &
including SFX, AOL, that the show had moved other spooky locations
YouTube, Digital Spy, to a new home
Supernaturalfans.co.uk,
Flickr, Bizarre

16. Initial results
Unprecedented uptake

17. Clues & content
Using content to enhance the ARG
• The clue portal was one of the most exciting features of the ARG. Candyspace worked with Warner Bros’ scriptwriters to
ensure scripts were on character
• Clues were released the portal through the game in video & text format
Lucifer’s warning to the Angel Castiel’s video Fan clues
UK clues
We created a video with Lucifer Angel (Mischa Collins) filmed We engaged UK’s most
to seed the game and create 10 video clues to guide fans dedicated fans to record one-
anticipation towards the Sigils off special clues for the game

18. Clues & content
Social – the glue of the game
Twitter Facebook Fan forums Some fan comments
Main communication channel Incorporated into build army Fans had created forums
for the game mechanic just to discuss and
• Clue updates released via • Players able to invite friends collaborate on the game.
official ARG Twitter via FB Connect • Find new friends to ally
• Fans used channel to discuss • Players used FB to create with
all things Fight the their own campaigns & • Swap Sigils
Apocalypse promote own armies • Discuss and speculate on
• (One person even threw a the next clue to be
party, promoted on FB to get released
new recruits)

19. Real world activity
The Grand Finale
We hosted a real-world grand finale staged at The Mall:
• The car with the final sigil with a special 1st find bonus of
5m points
• Fans for given clues about the final link in the chain
during the week leading up to the event
• The clue to the car’s location was released in the form of
a riddle at 1pm distributed via Twitter, SMS & the mobile
site

20. The results
It worked!
• Audience figures exceeded ITV2’s peak
• 16,000 armies created
• Average dwell time @ 14mins
• New audience brought in
- 29% not watched it before
• Supernatural viewers watched other Living
TV shows

21. Nintendo Coin Rush
Unleashing a real
world hunt for
gamers

22. Nintendo Coin rush
Background
• Latest version of a successful
franchise on new piece of
hardware (3DS)
• Large existing Facebook
community

23. Nintendo Coin rush
The challenge
1. Drive conversation/involvement with latest version of franchise
2. Engage existing fans online & in real world
3. Drive sales & pre-orders (h/w & s/w)

24. Nintendo Coin rush
Our solution
We devised a digital treasure hunt to captivate and engage
fans. Fans needed to collect coin codes that were hidden online
& in the real world
• Gameplay was carried out via a dedicated Facebook App
that could be played on web and mobile
• Coin codes were sporadically delivered via online & offline
channels for fans to hunt down

25. Channels
Finding coins
• Players needed to collect coin codes that were hidden online & in the real world to win prizes
Paid channels Owned channels Earned channels Real world
Various sites, blogs & fan forums. Use of Nintendo UK’s sites Extensive use of Twitter & FB to Codes hidden at Nintendo events &
Formats included video, banners & including Official Nintendo distribute clues, content & codes. GAME stores across UK
editorial features (e.g. in IGN) Magazine & UK site Facebook acted a central hub for
activity

26. Nintendo Coin rush
Collecting coins
• Players installed the Coin Rush
Facebook App and submitted codes
they found
• The App could be viewable online and
via players’ mobiles
• The more coins they collected, the
better the prizes they received!

27. Nintendo Coin rush
Results
• Game generated fantastic buzz for
Nintendo’s new release
• 20% increase in Facebook Likes on
NUK’s 3DS channel
• 25% conversion rate on FB shares
• 25,000 codes redeemed

28. Nintendo Coin rush
Insight from campaign
• High number of low level prizes drive interactions (perceived
to be more achievable)
• People will do anything to win
- Need robust plans around how do deal with cheats
(before game kicks off)
• Short, quick burst of activity worked

29. Final thoughts

30. Candyspace
Key things to remember
• Know your audience
• Keep gameplay simple
• Promotion strategy is key
• Add in real-world interaction (content/events)
• Prepare messaging strategy (customer support, ‘challenges’)
• Factor in lots of time (2-3 months standard)

31. Keep in touch
Thank you!
Nick Shadbolt
Account Director
candyspace media ltd
4 Turnham Green Terrace Mews
London
W4 1 QU
Nick.shadbolt[at]candyspace.com