In the Internet age, advertising finds new avenues to reach consumers, but with those channels come challenges. The ad agency Buzzman created a choose-your-own-adventure ad called Hunter vs. Bear back in 2010. The ad went viral and has been viewed by almost 20 million people. What was the ad for? Tipp-Ex, a correction fluid/correction tape product in the U.K., similar to Wite-Out here in the United States.
As a follow-up on their previous success, Buzzman created a new choose-your-own-adventure ad for Tipp-Ex called, “Hunter and bear’s 2012 birthday party.” The ad opens with the two characters sharing a birthday cake, when a meteor threatens to end the world. After “tipp-exing” 2012 out of the YouTube title, the user is prompted to enter any year they wish to change their fate. This is where the fun starts …
The genius of the ad is the mystery of choice. Users are free to enter any year they want. Make sure you try 2012, 2013 and 2011, but also try -200, -2000, -1,000,000 and -65,000,000. If you’re familiar with world history (from a European point of view), you can try 1492, 1945 and other significant years, but don’t expect anything special from 1776.
All in all, the ad is a really fun experience, which had us laughing and trying dozens of combinations. Make sure you leave your favorite years in the comments so we can all join in the fun!
