Alternate Reality Games: What Makes or Breaks Them?

12/27/07

Alternate Reality Games: What Makes or Breaks Them?

12/27/2007 |

Posted by Dave and Thomas

If you are new to the "Cloverfield" you will eventually run into the terms like "viral ad campaign" and "ARG" in many articles and posts. The "Cloverfield" movie has kept active on the Internet thanks to a strong online presence using both of these methods.

One site I used to reference a lot for Cloverfield clues and finds were the forums at unfiction. This group researched clues and analyzed everything under the sun to help make some great discoveries. Now that "Cloverfield" has become more traditional media publicity (TV commercials, radio, magazines) and less viral the forums are less useful to the average bear but are still a great reference to fans wanting to know all about the movie or just get started.

A good news feed like Google can email me updates on "Cloverfield" when they occur which saves me a lot of time searching various sites and forums. However, there's no denying a lot of the early legwork in finding clues and websites for "Cloverfield" was done with sites like the unfiction forums.

What are Alternate Reality Games (ARG):
(from unfiction) A cross-media genre of interactive fiction using multiple delivery and communications media, including television, radio, newspapers, Internet, email, SMS, telephone, voicemail, and postal service. Gaming is typically comprised of a secret group of PuppetMasters who author, manipulate, and otherwise control the storyline, related scenarios, and puzzles and a public group of players, the collective detective that attempts to solve the puzzles and thereby win the furtherance of the story.

Viral marketing and ARG's can hurt and help movies, like "Cloverfield." Critics complain the viral and ARG information is just publicity marketers use to exploit fans. It's easy to lose interest if the movie becomes complicated. No one wants to have to study the night before to watch a movie.

"Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) have become an incredibly powerful viral marketing and audience engagement tool over the last couple of years. However, the elements of a successful ARG remain a mystery to most people. Some of the most successful ARGs that I have participated in over the past few years were the I love bees campaign for Halo 2, the Iris campaign for Halo 3, the political dystopia campaign, for NIN's Year Zero, and most recently the Harvey Dent political campaign for the upcoming The Dark Knight movie."

Labels: 1-18-08 movie, arg, cloverfield, unfiction, viral advertising

1 comments:

Anonymous said...: I teach ancient history at a school I will not name here. A few days ago I received an unexpected package in a box marked "First Class." When I opened the package, what I saw shook me to the core! I was literally paralyzed with fear.

Maybe I should back up a few years... In 2002 I attended an archaeological conference where I met the Director of Antiquities at The Cairo Museum, Dr. Tahi Hawass. We discussed various ancient sites and upcoming archaeological digs. It was then that he revealed his intention to launch an expedition to search for an artifact known only as the Hexagon. When I heard the dark legend associated with this object, something inside me knew that this was a very bad idea. I cautioned him against excavating such a relic, warning him that nothing good could come of this endeavor.

When I opened the package and saw the Hexagon box sitting on my classroom table. I knew that he hadn't listened. The ancient Egyptians and Israelites used hexagon boxes to ritually seal things which were regarded as being evil. Legend says that King Solomon would seal djinn into hexagon shaped containers. This however is unique and much more terrifying. I cannot tell you what lies with the Hexagon for fear that you could not handle such knowledge. I wish I did not know what is inside. Believe me, you will sleep much better at night not knowing!

However, if you wish to pursue this knowledge, you must contact Dr. Tahi Hawass via email through The Cairo Museum Web site. The link is shown below. If you choose to do this, I am not responsible for what may happen.

http://museum.24ex.com; January 13, 2008 at 1:42 PM

What is Cloverfield?

Welcome to 1-18-08 Project Cloverfield Blog.

Cloverfield is the J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) produced monster flick directed by Matt Reeves. Get caught up on all the Cloverfield news including the viral world of Tagruato, TIDOwave, and Slusho!? And now Aladygma?

However, I love viral campaigns. Cloverfield taught me the fun of being involved with the viral world of movies and TV. That's why I'd like to branch out this site to cover some of the major viral campaigns as they are developing. Feel free to drop me a line or tip on any you find interesting.

Welcome to Cloverfield

Very few facts emerged from the viral campaign that was Cloverfield. It all started after a short, teaser trailer for Cloverfield appeared with the Transformers movie in early July of 2007. Since then, speculation surrounded what the title of the movie would be (Monstrous, Overnight, etc...) and what the monster really is and why it is tearing up New York City.

A few pictures and covert videos from the film showed up online and there were only a few core facts we knew of including the poster, the teaser trailer, and a few websites at 1-18-08, Tagruato Corp, and Slusho .

In November, the official full-length Cloverfield trailer was released that helped open up the story as well as cement the "Cloverfield" name for the movie. A short glimpse of the Cloverfield Monster was seen but for most people they still had little or no clue as to what it was.

The movie centered around five young New Yorkers throwing their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives. Cloverfield opened the weekend of 1-18-08 and set box office records for a movie in January with a monster take of over $40M. Continue to check back here for updates on the mystery and viral campaigns of Cloverfield.

Get Started with the Cloverfield Viral Marketing

If you're new to the Cloverfield viral world than let's get started. First off, for the beginners let's look at what we're talking about.

What does viral marketing mean? Click here.

1-18-08.com Updates with pictures randomly. Each picture is layered onto of the previous update and all can be dragged and moved around the screen. Click and hold the mouse to 'grab' an image and move it around. While holding the image, shake it back and forth quickly and it will flip over. Some images have writing on the back.

Slusho This is the Japanese frozen drink made from a secret ingredient gathered from the bottom of the ocean. Slusho gives you a kick and makes you extremely happy. Prior to 1-18-08 Slusho was not sold in the US. However, recent FDA approval gave Slusho clearance to come to the states. Rob Hawkins, the lead character, was recently promoted to vice-president of Slusho and was on his way to Japan the night of the attack. Slusho is owned by the Tagruato Corp. of Japan. Slusho also first made an appearance on J.J. Abrams Alias during a scene where characters buy the drink at a store.

Tagruato This ficticious Japanese company is the parent company of Slusho as well as the Yoshida Medical Research, Bold Futura, and ParafFUN! Wax Distributors. Besides drilling the oceans for Slusho ingredients, Tagruato builds everything from space satellites to medical gear.

T.I.D.O wave An activist group set out to bring to light all the damage Tagruato has done to the envirnoment.

Jamie and Teddy A minor character from the movie, Jamie popped up on a 1-18-08.com picture and the MySpace profiles for the movies characters before getting famous for her "Jamie and Teddy" website. The site is comprised of video journals from Jamie. The site is password protected but can be accessed by the password "jllovesth"

1-18-08 Project Cloverfield - Warning! Spoilers