Outdoor adventures: Brands are getting consumers outdoors to take part in urban treasure hunts

Jay-Z Experiential Campaign Decoded There is a trend of brands adapting urban treasure hunts to capture the spirit of adventure of consumers, engaging them with a new experience with the brand so they can share their experience with others and be part of a ‘hunters community’.

This is what the New York agency Droga5 have done to launch Jay-Z’s book Decode. The agency created an integrated campaign using the Bing maps as the main source to find the hidden pages of the book, which were reprinted on billboards and unusual spots the author has quoted on the book for fans to find. The pages could be unfolded via an online scavenger hunt, which provided daily clues to each of the various page locations. It was a very clever idea for an awareness campaign, engaging Jay-Z fans to share their experiences and take part in the hunt to unfold the strategically hidden book.

With the success of such events, other brands are aiming to capture the same spirit of adventure from consumers and break through the clutter of the myriad of brand messages that consumers are exposed to everyday.

Last month, Beck’s beer launched a project called the Green Box, where they planted various augmented reality installations in seven cities across the U.S and UK, showcasing virtual art galleries, which consumers could discover by using their mobile devices. To be able to view the art commissioned by the brand, people needed to download an app and follow the locations to find the hidden boxes.

Appealing to consumer’s emotions is key for brands that want to build a strong community on the experience they are giving to people – meaning that consumers will be more proactive in sharing their experience with the brand, creating an emotional engagement with added value.

If you want to find out more about the Green Box project, have a look at the creative insight from Beck’s on the video below.

Let us know your thoughts on that! If you have experienced any urban treasure hunts like these, we would love to hear from you! Tweet us @Hotcow!

Introduction from Beck’s Green Box Project on Vimeo.

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