LOST Adventures
ProSieben Television GmbH
Issue 4 | July 2008
Agency
Jung von Matt AG
Creative Team
Simone Ashoff - Creative Director;Sven Loskill, Jeannette Bergen - Art Directors ;Felix Schulz, Leif Abraham, Christoph Maeschig, Robert Ehlers - Concept;Robert Ehlers - Writer ;Christoph Maeschig, Ralf Lechner, Jan M-Studt - Programmers ;Yasmine Bechmann - Flash Programmer;Martin Schlierkamp - Illustration ;Holger Jaquet - Animation
Production Team
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Other Credits
Michael Behrens - Account Manager;Mirja Rudau - Project Manager
Date
August - October 2006
Background
The aim of the campaign was to fire up new viewers and existing LOST fans for the second season of the TV series LOST by creating viral buzz with an off-beat storytelling campaign and drawing the target groups into the mysterious story.
Idea
Jung von Matt created a multi-stage interactive online adventure game, unusual in that it took place within people’s email systems. In four episodes, recipients were able to experience directly within their inbox what it feels like to be part of LOST: mastering mazes, overpowering sharks and cracking a secret code with which to take part in a competition on a mysterious website. Adapted from the story of the second season, the website formed the central backbone of the campaign, allowing people to sign up for emails, enter competitions and download various goodies relating to the series.
The website functioned in the same way as a conventional computer console which can only be operated using keyboard shortcuts. Users had to be clever or to know the right forums and blogs to consult, as the only way to unearth more goodies about the second season of LOST - wallpapers, screensavers, 3D animations of the leading actors and actresses matching the on-air design etc - was with the help of a handful of correct key strokes. Information concerning the sequel to the series LOST was distributed via seeding in blogs and forums, with users having to register on the website in order to receive the emails. An additional ambient element of the campaign consisted of messages in bottles left on 300 beaches and beach clubs arousing curiosity and directing users to sign up for the emails via SMS.
Results
The campaign attained above-average email open rates of 58% (30% being the industry average). 22% of recipients took part in the competition, and several thousand emails were forwarded to friends. More than 17% of users who visited the website not only registered for the email episodes or took part in the competition, but also downloaded goodies.
Target Audience
The primary target group was men aged between 14 and 29
Size
300 bottles
Our Thoughts
This is an agency I have the greatest admiration for. They are constantly looking for new ways to engage and this email campaign seems to have succeeded brilliantly in getting LOST fans to feel as if they were lost themselves. Offline, leaving messages in bottles on well-known beaches must have added to the buzz.