The Challenge
After establishing the marketing style and approach for Tour Tural, it was time to build a website that would reveal to the world this fictitious tour agency. Initially, we had considered creating a relatively simple microsite but after coming up with the creative platform for the campaign and realizing we have so much more to say, our microsite turned into a robust travel site with integrated Alternate Reality Game.
Our approach for the site was to embrace common attributes of modern travel websites seen through the lens of this fictional agency. We imagined our characters running Tour Tural to be a bit… scattered. The visual vernacular is fun and vibrant with characters that bring new content to the site every single day.
Travel Tips
Original content was created specifically for the Tour Tural site and we worked closely with the Square Enix team to build in content that would gradually reveal more of Dawntrail with a unique travel perspective. Travel tips were rooted in real game locations and thematic content with a wink and a nod towards our fictional travel agency. The voice of the agency is fun and lighthearted with an embedded understanding of Final Fantasy that would speak to the hardcore fans while still being approachable to new players interested in this exciting new land.
The Merch
What vacation wouldn’t be complete without picking up a good postcard or mug? We were all about preserving the magic of the traveling lifestyle and knew exactly what we had to do when it came to merch. Kitschy postcards? Check. Tote bags? Yep. Mugs with Nutkins? You know it! We covered our bases but unfortunately, in our travel agencies universe, all of the merch sold out. Popular stuff! Rumors have it that a few things have made it to fan’s doors with whispers of mugs and hats out there in our world somewhere…
Support Chat
After establishing the marketing style and approach for Tour Tural, it was time to build a website that would reveal to the world this fictitious tour agency. Initially, we had considered creating a relatively simple microsite but after coming up with the creative platform for the campaign and realizing we have so much more to say, our microsite turned into a robust travel site with integrated Alternate Reality Game.
Our approach for the site was to embrace common attributes of modern travel websites seen through the lens of this fictional agency. We imagined our characters running Tour Tural to be a bit… scattered. The visual vernacular is fun and vibrant with characters that bring new content to the site every single day.
The Takeover
After the first week is complete with the completion of the lost map puzzle, users were still befuddled by one thing that had been on the site since day 1. On the Discovery page, there were location cards for each primary area in Dawntrail but the one location card for Solution Nine remained password protected. Fans were trying their best to guess the password that might let them in but no one could get it. Finally, on day 7, the keen-eyed observer noticed a note hidden in a picture that mentioned needing to change the password to something so that it wasn’t “nutsfornutkins”. Given the current state of the agency, no one actually changed it, so users put that password into the Solution Nine field and immediately cause the site to literally shake, glitch-out, and transform with a cryptic message in binary saying “it has begun”. The fans triggered the next phase of the ARG that would gradually change everything on the site over the course of the next 7 days into a completely Solution Nined-out site.
Clever Creative
Contact
The Challenge
After establishing the marketing style and approach for Tour Tural, it was time to build a website that would reveal to the world this fictitious tour agency. Initially, we had considered creating a relatively simple microsite but after coming up with the creative platform for the campaign and realizing we have so much more to say, our microsite turned into a robust travel site with integrated Alternate Reality Game.
Our approach for the site was to embrace common attributes of modern travel websites seen through the lens of this fictional agency. We imagined our characters running Tour Tural to be a bit… scattered. The visual vernacular is fun and vibrant with characters that bring new content to the site every single day.
Travel Tips
Original content was created specifically for the Tour Tural site and we worked closely with the Square Enix team to build in content that would gradually reveal more of Dawntrail with a unique travel perspective. Travel tips were rooted in real game locations and thematic content with a wink and a nod towards our fictional travel agency. The voice of the agency is fun and lighthearted with an embedded understanding of Final Fantasy that would speak to the hardcore fans while still being approachable to new players interested in this exciting new land.
The Merch
What vacation wouldn’t be complete without picking up a good postcard or mug? We were all about preserving the magic of the traveling lifestyle and knew exactly what we had to do when it came to merch. Kitschy postcards? Check. Tote bags? Yep. Mugs with Nutkins? You know it! We covered our bases but unfortunately, in our travel agencies universe, all of the merch sold out. Popular stuff! Rumors have it that a few things have made it to fan’s doors with whispers of mugs and hats out there in our world somewhere…
Support Chat
After establishing the marketing style and approach for Tour Tural, it was time to build a website that would reveal to the world this fictitious tour agency. Initially, we had considered creating a relatively simple microsite but after coming up with the creative platform for the campaign and realizing we have so much more to say, our microsite turned into a robust travel site with integrated Alternate Reality Game.
Our approach for the site was to embrace common attributes of modern travel websites seen through the lens of this fictional agency. We imagined our characters running Tour Tural to be a bit… scattered. The visual vernacular is fun and vibrant with characters that bring new content to the site every single day.
The Takeover
After the first week is complete with the completion of the lost map puzzle, users were still befuddled by one thing that had been on the site since day 1. On the Discovery page, there were location cards for each primary area in Dawntrail but the one location card for Solution Nine remained password protected. Fans were trying their best to guess the password that might let them in but no one could get it. Finally, on day 7, the keen-eyed observer noticed a note hidden in a picture that mentioned needing to change the password to something so that it wasn’t “nutsfornutkins”. Given the current state of the agency, no one actually changed it, so users put that password into the Solution Nine field and immediately cause the site to literally shake, glitch-out, and transform with a cryptic message in binary saying “it has begun”. The fans triggered the next phase of the ARG that would gradually change everything on the site over the course of the next 7 days into a completely Solution Nined-out site.