Search Engine for the Real World
Open the game- Brand
- Dodge
- Year
- 2011
- Objective
- Awareness
- Industry
- Automotive
- Mechanic
- Adventure
- Agency
- Digital Kitchen
- With
- Wieden + Kennedy
Objective
Dodge needed to drive awareness for the 2012 Journey launch with a campaign that challenged the convention of digital-first consumer culture. The brand repositioned the Journey as an everyday adventure vehicle—a 'search engine for the real world'—designed to inspire Americans to explore physical landscapes rather than remain tethered to online searches.
Solution
Dodge hid three 2012 Journey vehicles across America (one in each major region: West, Midwest, East) and challenged viewers to find them. The campaign used a hybrid digital-physical mechanic: Dodge posted encrypted video clues on YouTube (youtube.com/dodge) and streamed live 24/7 camera feeds of each hidden vehicle in real-time. Regional television spots included region-specific embedded clues. Participants decoded the clues from the video content and live streams, then drove to the physical locations to discover the vehicles. Winners received their claimed vehicle plus $7,000 to cover taxes and associated costs.
Results
The live camera feed attracted approximately 300,000 viewers, with an average engagement time of 25 minutes per viewer. At least two of the three vehicles were claimed: one found in Nevada on September 10, and a second by Melissa Sweeney in Maine on September 27, 2011. The campaign ran from September 9–27, 2011.
