I've just finished (well, not really) an interesting experience on the new Toyota Scion's website. Little Deviant is a kind creepy fairy tale, mixing cartoons characters and 3D in a urban environment and recreating a sort of adventure game in seven chapters.

Every chapter has an advergame in which visitors have to succeed in order to move on to the next part of the story. To tell the truth, I haven't gone further than the second chapter... in a certain sense I'm not sure how many users will actually spend half an hour on the site (or maybe more) to interact with the goblins, but I also understand I'm probably not in the target audience Toyota wants to reach with this action.

This said, the experience is cool and worth giving it a try... also, taking a more "marketing" approach to the site and having read an article yesterday on eMarketer (Kids and Teens Influencing Purchases), I better understand the campaign idea...The target are not the parents, but the kids!

I just logged on to this site b/c I want to trade in my 4Runner. I gave up on the site b/c all I wanted was info quickly and not play a game.

Posted by: Lauren Vargas at July 3, 2007 04:27 PM

Execution is superb - spooky atmosphere down to a tee - like the previous comment says - it doesn't tell us much about the car, although I don't think that is the intention. Can't help but wonder if the high production values could better funnel user to relevant Calls To Action?

Posted by: Jamie G at July 4, 2007 03:19 PM

It remind me "get the glass": excelent graphics without ideas behind.
This site have also no game design but it looks so wonderfull...

Posted by: 4Lb3Rt0 at July 4, 2007 10:11 PM

Agreed. Excellent production of the shell, but no real game design.
I finished the site experience to see what else was there. You are rewarded by chance to meet each of the deviants with their different characteristics.
This feels like the agency was asked to integrate with the cinema ad, and with such great animation...a game seemed like a good idea.
I would have been happier interacting with the deviants, and no linear game to trapse through.
There is a seperate Scion site if just want to buy the car.

Posted by: Matt D at July 5, 2007 06:51 PM

I like this a-lot. I think the target is urbanites 16-24. Great flash, but maybe more was spent on the campaign than will reap back.

Posted by: Matt C. at July 5, 2007 10:14 PM