Cool Flame – The Game
- Brand
- BMW
- Year
- 2004
- Objective
- Awareness
- Industry
- Automotive
- Mechanic
- Adventure & Quest
- Platform
- Web
- Agency
- InterOne
Objective
BMW wanted to start talking to prospective buyers online months before the 1er reached showrooms, using an entertaining story rather than a straight product pitch to build early familiarity with the car. Interone built the campaign to double as a lead-generation tool, asking players to register so BMW could keep them coming back and reward them for staying engaged.
Solution
You register and take on the role of tabloid reporter Harley Flame, chasing down a movie producer who's vanished from the fictional Montano Beach resort, with singer Gina Lopez along for the ride. Each episode opens with voiced dialogue scenes, then hands you point-and-click puzzles to work through, a jump-and-run stretch to clear, and a driving segment behind the wheel of the new BMW 1er. Finish an episode and you get a small reward plus downloadable extras like wallpapers and a screensaver, but the next chapter isn't waiting for you — the story rolled out five episodes at a time through June 2004, so you had to keep returning to the site to see how it ended.
- 1
The game runs on a standalone campaign domain, www.be-the-first-one.com, separate from the main bmw.com site.
- 2
The story unfolds across five episodes, drawn in a 'Modern Sixties' animation style and released one at a time through June 2004; after finishing an episode, the player returns to the site to pick up the next.
- 3
Each episode opens on a voiced scene: star reporter Harley Flame investigates the sudden disappearance of film producer Seymour Deville on the fictional Montano Beach.
- 4
Between scenes, the player explores locations point-and-click, clicking to examine objects and characters and solving puzzles to advance the plot.
- 5
Arcade interludes break up the adventure sections, putting the player through jump-and-run platforming segments.
- 6
Driving segments put the player behind the wheel of the new BMW 1er for extended racing stretches.
- 7
Singer Gina Lopez provides vocal music that runs alongside the episodes' voiced dialogue.
- 8
Registered players who complete an episode receive a small reward.
- 9
The site also offers downloadable extras tied to the story, including desktop wallpapers and screensavers.
