Doner Wins Gold at Media Innovation Awards.

Media. Innovation. Awards.

We’ve been working hard to get those three words connected here at Doner. 

Last week, one year after having been created by french-canadien super-special transmedia talent Pierre Côté, this Alternate Reality Game was officially recognized. 

Last Thursday night, we took home the Gold at Marketing Magazine’s Media Innovation Awards Gala for the “33 Keys” Alternate Reality Game campaign created to launch the 2010 Mazda3. 

The MIA’s are Canada’s top media awards. 

Our campaign was recognized in the multi-channel category, beating out brands such as Frito-Lay, American Express and Kia. Not bad, not bad at all for an agency who does not have interactive creative department in Canada!

While the MIA’s are a media award, this was truly a fully-integrated team effort. Kudos go to Associate Media Director Kyle Lin, who brought Pierre's vison, concept and narrative to the table, along with Patricia McGregor, Brad Clarkson and the rest of the Toronto media team. 

Special shout-outs go to Kathryn Long and the Brand Leadership team, Justin Smith, Jason Jakubiak, Jim Ward, Laura Squillace and Rebecca Krug on the Creative and Interactive teams for their excellent work. And certainly no great work can get rewarded without the vision and support of our clients. 

Mike Collinson and Domenic Santucci were strong supporters of this program from the beginning and were smiling ear-to-ear when they were on-stage last week holding the trophy.   Left to Right Mary Lepage – Director, Toronto – Astral Media Mix Mike Collinson – Director, Marketing & Product Strategy – Mazda Canada Domenic Santucci – Manager, Marketing Communications – Mazda Canada Patricia McGregor – Vice President, Media Director – Doner Canada Kyle Lin – Associate Media Director — Doner Canada Michelle LaBarre – Vice President — Astral Media Mix 

 

Multi-Channel GoLd Mazda3 – 33 Keys alternate reality Game  

It’s no small feat to launch a new car in Quebec amid the worst car market in history,especially when your target market of 18- to 34-year-olds is cynical about advertising. That’s why it was critical to engage rather than simply sell to consumers for the launch of the 2010 Mazda3. Mazda’s “alternate reality” campaign sent Quebecers on a search for 33 keys and the chance to win a new car. The adventure started with a simultaneous “pirated” message delivered across all Quebec TV stations. Players were asked to save the fictional female character Xira, and mankind, from a futuristic organization known as La Croix Verte, in exchange for one of 33 key cases hidden across the province. Participants deciphered codes and participated in various real-life challenges, which lead players to a key case. For example, one online clue asked gamers to figure out a code which gave the player longitude and latitude coordinates. Those coordinates could then be entered into Google maps to pinpoint the area where a key case could be found. Clues and dead ends were set up across the province using billboards, a fake TV show “hijacked” for the game, mobile, social media and live events, all leading up to a final moment where one of the 33 keys would start the car and save the future. Within four months of launch, Quebec Mazda3 sales skyrocketed 30% (VYA) to make it the number-one selling car in the market for the first time.

titLe: Mazda3 33 Keys Alternate Reality Game 

cLieNt: Mazda Canada Inc. 

ageNcY: Doner Canada 

meDia: Astral Media Mix 

Original idea and narrative: Pierre Côté 

Realtime TransMedia Producer, Gramsclo Studio: Pierre Côté 

associate meDia Director, DoNer caNaDa: Kyle Lin 

marketiNg maNager, astraL meDia mix: Domenic Santucci 

accouNt suPervisor, DoNer caNaDa: Kathryn Long 

grouP maNager, astraL meDia mix: Mary Lepage 

vice PresiDeNt, astraL meDia mix: Michelle LaBarre 

If you whish to learn more about this story deep down into the rabbit hole, please call 305-890-5535.