Cherryflava

Virgin America and Google team up to bring you - a giant scavenger hunt

On Wednesday June the 24th - Google and Virgin America will present the world with their version of a massive 'Easter egg' hunt.

Using Google Apps and presumably loads of clues and exciting things like that - the idea is to 'spend a day in the clouds' and obviously murder your competition to win the coverted prize pack [which includes free flights for a year on Virgin and an inflatable Susan Boyle doll complete with Michael Jackson repertoire and long-tooth comb (kidding)].

As game event organisors ourselves it would be daft of us not to take part, but you can give it a go as well [presumably even if, like us, you don't live in the United States] by signing up here.

We're game - bring it.

Hardcore geeks use QR codes to create conference scavenger hunt

So we're obviously not the only ones rethinking the format of conferences and using gaming elements as an affective information platform. Google are also making use of the age-old scavenger hunt techniques to excited and entice delegates by using QR codes.

At the recent Google I/O conference a competitive scavenger hunt with QR Codes appearing on badges, in session slides and on various landmarks around the conference. [via]
That should have had the geeks snorting like donkey's and re-plastering their glasses at every turn.

How ironic: The Hawaii Department of Health is hosting an ARG involving a global flu pandemic

Quick update for non-regular Cherryflava readers - ARG is short for an Alternate Reality Game, which in many cases is commissioned by an advertiser wanting to engage with an audience using new media, a gaming element and a story that sounds and feels very real to those playing.

The shocking news is that the Hawaii Department of Health has commissioned one of these games to raise awareness of the possible outbreak of an influenza pandemic [similar to the one that the Mexican Department of Health is now playing for real].
The Hawaian version is set for infection in mid-May and if you're keen on playing doctor doctor with some killer flu, you can sign up for all the fun and games here. That is if the pig version hasn't hit you yet.

Dystopic literature often turns to the threat of pandemics for inspiration. From Albert Camus’ La Peste to Stephen King’s The Stand, authors create global pandemics in their stories to confront issues raised by a threat to human survival that strikes at the very fabric of our society. In order to open a dialogue about Hawaii’s pandemic preparedness and allocation priorities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is funding an alternate reality game starting in mid-May at CoralCross.org.

It's chilling as to how real these things are really getting? Makes us wonder if the Swine Flu thing is real or is this a very elaborate advertising stunt?

More: Coral Cross: Pandemic preparedness from the Hawaii Department of Health - ARGN

National Skirt Extension Project: Short skirts are a no no

If you haven't heard - some rather strange ads promoting a National Skirt Extension Project have been printed [half page B&W] in this week's Sunday Times and radio ads have been flighted on 702 and Cape Talk.

There is a website, a call centre hotline [0860 111 412] and a reference to a company by the name of Oscuro as registrar of the website.
It's too late to be an April Fools joke, too expensive [our estimate is in the region of R350 000 so far] to be a hair removal cream teaser [besides - no hair removal cream would possibly be promoted in the lead up to winter] and the production quality of the various elements is too poor to be linked to a corporate client.
We called Paul at Oscuro [which is based in Pretoria - could be relevant] who stumbled over an explanation claiming Oscuro to be an ISP, but when we sniffed around we uncovered an old Oscuro brochure that claims that the company are 'creative connoisseurs'.

So - considering the media buy and the possible events that it could be linked to [elections, World Cup 2010, Easter] - our conclusion is that the whole thing is leading up to a campaign for a political party.
There is rumour that the media was purchased through an account owned by Unilever, but that may be a 'trailer breaker' done on purpose [or not].

Out of all the random copy on the website - there's one small paragraph that leads us to our startling conclusion:

Our guess, it's for COPE or the DA [or Axe deodorant, as we attempt to reveal below].

Bite-sized city soap opera continues to unfold on Youtube

The bite-sized urban drama that's been playing out on-line and on the streets of Cape Town is drawing nearer to its conclusion.

[link]

With a reward of R20 000 up for grabs 'scavenger hunters' have been searching for clues, which have been left in various shops - and in the streets of the city - in their quest to discover the all important '20k-money-clue' that's scheduled to be unveiled tomorrow.

If you need a bit of extra pocket money, you can pick up the story and trail so far on: jodisrevenge.blogspot.com and seanosgame.blogspot.com.

Cape Union Mart plays 'hide the reindeer'

As a company having produced a number of 'alternate reality games' ourselves for clients - we like the latest festive season promotion that outdoor retailer Cape Union Mart have got going at the moment.

Together with Garmin [the guys that make those GPS devices] they're running a promotion called the Inflatable Reindeer Competition and have hidden 12 inflatable beasts, which you can find thanks to co-ordinates published on their website and a GPS.

If you are the first person to find the inflatable reindeer, collect it and inflate it. You then SMS your name and ID number, together with the unique reindeer code the Cape Union Mart. This SMS gets you of a Cape Union Mart gift voucher to the value of R5000. 

It's a fun idea that certainly adds to the Christmas spirit even if inflatable reindeer are not an indigenous part of the South African ecological setup.

More: Cape Union Mart

 

Snoop through somebody else's phone

Nokia are running a very unique and engaging marketing campaign with their agency Wieden + Kennedy London.

Understanding what complete nosey bastards most of us are they're giving you the chance to snoop your way through someone’s phone, including text messages, personal contacts, diary entries, photos, voicemails and private video clips.

The fictional branded entertainment follows the lives of three hip and trendy youths Anna, Jade and Luca who, like most youths these days, live their lives on their cellphones. You can check out there Facebook pages as well and find their the characters’ phone numbers and call or text them directly.

As well as traditional TV, print, outdoor and radio, each character's story is told in real time through the website, where the audience can access the characters’ Nokia 7610 handsets and over 3750 different pieces of mobile media content over the campaign period.

At the end of the six weeks the characters’ stories all end on crucial decisions that will affect their future. These questions will be shared with the audience, giving them the opportunity to influence the storylines themselves.

Cool idea which we're sure will appeal to many.

More: Welcome to Optimism - W&K Blog
Website: Somebody else's phone

[via]

Quantum Code promotes new James Bond film in Oz

Using QR Codes, online videos, telephone numbers and real life addresses - the new Bond film 'The Quantum Solace' is being introduced to Aussies with an ARG courtesy of Sony.

With our own staging of commercial ARGs here in Cape Town, it's always good to see this exciting medium being used as an official marketing launch platform.

Website: The Quantum Code
More: The Quantum Code is coming - Gizmodo
See: YouTube videos from Constance NewLove - YouTube

And on that note....

Many thanks to our own urban game sponsoring partners: Nokia, Coffeeright, Jack Black Beer and Red Bull and Felix Unite for Saturday's Dimension Data event.

British Red Cross turn to Alternate Reality Game to spread fundraising net

As a South African media company that specialises in producing alternate reality games for local brands, we here at Cherryflava are loving the latest 'mixed reality' adventure that's tracking it's way across our radar screens.

Sponsored by the British Red Cross the story revolves around Joseph, a Ugandan teenager searching for his mother during a time of civil war. The experience combines "storytelling, detective work, technology and treasure-hunt style gameplay in a compelling 21st century narrative, as players seek to reunite Joseph with his mother."

Called "Traces of Hope" the Red Cross is using the real-time game to draw attention to the plight of civilians who get separated from loved ones during war, and to highlight its family-tracing service.
The game forces players to use the Internet, email and telephones to help Joseph and to get an idea of the intense pressure civilians face in the turmoil of conflict.

Nice to see charities taking the leap into the 'underground' emersive world of ARGs which is such a perfect platform for them to really showcase the great work that they do in an entertaining way. [thanks Nikki]

More:

Read: Red Cross launches cutting-edge family search game - Reuters
Website: Traces of Hope - sign up
South African ARG: A launch with a Twist - Biz-community
What?: Alternate reality gaming - Wikipedia