Droga5 Auckland creates what’s claimed to be a digital world-first mobile ad-venture for ASB

New Zealand consumers played their part in what is claimed to be a digital world-first on the weekend. On Sunday, 50 Kiwis helped create the first-ever ‘mobile ad-venture’, a revolutionary immersive film created by Droga5 New Zealand for ASB to promote its mobile banking services.

Titled Lost – a mobile adventure, the initiative is described by ASB as a mobile advertisement for its mobile services to its mobile audience. The advertisement combines active participants, interacting with real locations, social media and mobile devices.

The lead character is a hapless screenwriter @AlpacAndy who, with his ASB Personal Banker Luke, sets out to find his lost iPad.

The real life ‘mobile ad-venture’ took place on Sunday. The 50 participants started their search for Andy’s elusive iPad at ASB Ponsonby Branch and, using their mobile devices and laptops, were shown clues on where to go next.  The catch – each clue-filled episode could only be watched in the location where it was filmed.

People outside of Auckland or unable to make the real-life event were also able to participate in the ad-venture via ‘Brainpower’, the digital version of the event. By heading to creatingfutures.co.nz and clicking ‘Lost’, they were able to take part in an online version that replaced the location-based elements with a series of tricky questions tailored to the ‘Digital Native’. (See http://asb.creatingfutures.co.nz/lost).

There were many great prizes up for grabs to reward those who were able to locate the lost iPad, including iPads, smartphones (provided by Vodafone) and a range of vouchers.

Twitter played a key role in recruiting the event participants. The filmed episodes star a number of well-known social media personalities, as well as a special guest appearance from Keisha Castle Hughes.

Deborah Simpson, ASB General Manager Brand and Marketing, says the communication is a totally immersive digital experience across several platforms: “We recruited the participants through the use of social media. They had the chance to not just watch Andy’s story but be part of it with the ability to interact and change the storyline,” Ms Simpson says.  “Many people also took part in the online version of the ad-venture, which ran simultaneously with the real-life action.”

“We developed the ad-venture to support the recent launch of ASB’s mobile website together with enhanced internet banking optimised for smartphones,” says Ms Simpson.  “It’s part of our commitment to being where our customers are, also exemplified by the launch of our Virtual Branch on Facebook.

“The Creating Futures campaign is based on real-life personal stories, revealing insights into the situations customers find themselves in. Inspiration for ‘Lost’ came from within ASB.  Our people tell us they’re often approached by customers who have lost something.  There are so many stories of ASB people then going out of their way to help them find it,” concludes Ms Simpson.

As with all the Creating Futures stories, ‘Lost’ involves actual ASB people – ASB staff member Luke Jackson stars opposite Andy in the production.

Lost – A Mobile Ad-venture was filmed to produce an online video that tells the story of this digital initiative and how it came to be. It will be released on Monday 13 December on creatingfutures.co.nz.