New Balance & MINI ARG Campaigns

There’s been a new wave of digital campaigns rolling out over the past year using ARG (Alternate Reality Game) initiatives.

MINI and New Balance have both launched new products using this iPhone app challenge. In MINI’s case, the objective was to hunt, catch and escape with a virtual MINI Countryman. To do so, users had to download the iPhone app and locate the car using the map provided. Once 50m away from the virtual car you could take it, but unfortunately, other iPhone users could also locate you and grab it away from you if they came close enough. The winner, who actually won a physical MINI Countryman, was the last holder of the MINI at the end of a 7 day 24/7 gaming period.

MINI Getaway Stockholm 2010:

To promote their new flagship store in New York City, New Balance created the “Urban Dash” iPhone app that challenged you to find hundreds of virtual batons around the city and bring them back to the store to redeem a gift. Similarly to the MINI iPhone app, other contestants could locate you and steal your baton away from you. However, if you managed to bring back the baton to the store, you would immediately receive a new pair of Balance 574 Shoes. And if you managed to bring the most batons out of anyone you would receive an exclusive 14k Gold baton worth $20k.

New Balance Urban Dash: