Nintendo’s new YouTube ad for Wario Land: Shake It is a fantastic example of how to grab a viewer’s attention, create replay value, and ensure pass-along by using the element of surprise.
YouTube is the most popular video portal online, and because of this, we’re all used to how it looks, works and functions. When you first arrive at the experiencewii channel on YouTube, nothing looks out of the ordinary, and the video begins to play like usual, giving you no clues as to what’s about to happen.
However, after a few seconds, the hands in the video shake the controller, and the video starts to shake a little bit as well. Perhaps you don’t even notice the first time the video shakes, or you brush it off as just your imagination, but you don’t want to look away in case it happens again. Then, when Wario grabs a bag and starts to shake it, coins come spewing out of the video window and cover the page, and you suddenly know that this isn’t going to be a typical YouTube experience.
Because of these subtle yet significant changes to a site that we’re all familiar with, the ad has grabbed your attention and probably caused you to continue watching it just to see if there’s anything else that’s going to change.
And sure enough, there is. Suddenly the whole screen starts shaking, and the different buttons and bars and controls of YouTube are flying in every direction. When it’s finally done, the screen is in shambles, and what you’re left with is a simple text ad for Wario Land: Shake It, and the rubble of YouTube below.
Next, you probably clicked “Shake it up again”, and maybe even sent it to a friend so that they could be tricked by the same ad that tricked you. Replay and pass-along are sure to be high with an ad like this.
Nintendo didn’t just create a movie though. Instead, they went the extra mile and made each element function like normal in its new location.
Want to favorite the video?
No problem; the favorite button still works.
Because of this, you are invited to click and drag elements around within the page, and each element reacts with the others using real physics, which means they’ve got you interacting with the site, and are one step closer to clicking on the ad and continuing through to their landing page.
The Good:
- Unexpected changes to familiar environments grab viewer’s attention.
- Replay and pass-along almost guaranteed.
- Appeals to a broad demographic.
The Bad:
- Large file size means slow load times for some users.
The Future:
- Use surprise to grab and hold viewer’s attention.
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Wed, Oct 1, 2008
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