Superfad’s Interactive Banner Ads for Cars.com

Imagine the following scenarios: three buddies sit down to watch the game, a man takes his tiny dog for a stroll, and a snorkeler enjoys a dip in a coral paradise. Are these scenes exciting enough for you? If not add drama with the new digital campaign created by Superfad for Cars.com and ad agency Piston. These interactive narratives are part of a new media campaign set to launch during broadcast of Super Bowl XLVII on February 3. Each depicts a seemingly banal scenario and invites viewers to “Add More Drama” by clicking a button. In each case, wackiness ensues.

 

View the creative via the links below:

 

http://superfadlabs.com/clients/carsdotcom/chase

http://superfadlabs.com/clients/carsdotcom/underwater/

http://superfadlabs.com/clients/carsdotcom/walk/

http://superfadlabs.com/clients/carsdotcom/football/

 

“Piston approached us to produce the engagement for its digital Cars.com campaign that launches during this year’s Super Bowl,” says Chris Volckmann, Executive Producer at Superfad Seattle. “The concept was to create a series of narratives in which users can interactively move the story forward by clicking a button. Working closely with the incredibly collaborative team at Piston, we came up with some seemingly simple scenarios that get more and more ridiculous the more times the button is clicked. Once the outlines were agreed upon, we fine-tuned our scripts, developed style frames and shooting boards, and went into full-scale production.”

 

Taking the Super Bowl as its cue for the first of the four films to air, the creative team at Superfad wrote and designed an interactive narrative that promises to bring more drama to the big game. The banner initially reveals a diminutive football fan squeezing on to a couch between two burlier friends. An everyday scene, to be sure, but clicking the “Add More Drama” button instantly moves the trio to the sidelines of the big game. Clicking the button again, and the man in the middle is given a helmet and urged into the game itself by his bigger friends, both of whom wince when he is hit hard. With each click, the intensity of the scenario is heightened, allowing the viewer to literally control the scene before their eyes.

 

“We wanted to create a uniquely interactive and entertaining campaign that rewards the audience for clicking while building theCars.com brand,” explains David Schafer, Piston’s Executive Creative Director. “Placing the story in the hands of users, viewers can add progressive drama to an otherwise benign scenario. Each ad is like a mini movie. From the production by Superfad to the collaboration with the leadership at Cars.com, this year's Super Bowl creative is by far the most engaging and memorable to date.”

 

"We’ve worked with Piston Executive Creative Director David Schafer on many projects over the years,” adds Volckmann. “We were thrilled to have this unique creative opportunity with colleagues we know and admire.”