Spotlight Festival 2014
Glückwunsch an alle Preisträger, vor allem an Dominik Gudelj, Andreas Bruns und Djawid Hakimyar! Hat der Bruns eigentlich schon wieder einen Scheck in der Hand? Foto: Tobias Paul, ich war leider schon wieder weg.
ONLY jeans experiments with interactive brand content
“The Liberation” was an innovative interactive campaign launched in 2012 by the Danish fashion brand ONLY, aiming to rejuvenate its image and engage a younger audience. This digital experience seamlessly blended elements of film, fashion catalog, music video, and online shopping into a cohesive narrative.
The storyline followed three rebellious young women who invigorate a sleepy town with their adventurous spirit. Viewers could interact with the film by pausing at any moment to explore and purchase the featured clothing items, integrating shopping directly into the narrative.
To enhance engagement, the campaign incorporated interactive elements where users could influence the storyline, such as attempting to steal a pair of jeans, which, if successful, were sent to them free of charge. The soundtrack, featuring Swedish artist Lune, synchronized with user interactions, pausing and resuming seamlessly to maintain immersion.
The campaign achieved significant success, with traffic to ONLY’s website increasing by 442% post-launch. The dedicated campaign site attracted over 232,000 unique visitors and more than 410,000 page views. This innovative approach garnered industry recognition, including a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
“The Liberation” exemplified how fashion brands could leverage digital platforms to create immersive, interactive experiences that resonate with contemporary audiences, effectively merging storytelling with e-commerce.
Sources: Fast Company & lovethework.com
Black Mirror “Bandersnatch”
Netflix is testing the possibilities of interactive content.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is an interactive film released by Netflix in 2018, created by Charlie Brooker as part of the Black Mirror anthology series. Set in 1984, it follows Stefan Butler, a young programmer developing a video game called Bandersnatch, based on a choose-your-own-adventure book. As Stefan struggles with deadlines, personal trauma, and reality itself, viewers make decisions that shape his fate.
The film’s key innovation is its interactive storytelling, allowing viewers to choose Stefan’s actions, from simple decisions like what cereal he eats to major plot points affecting his sanity and the game’s success. These choices lead to multiple branching narratives, several different endings, and even secret paths.
As Stefan dives deeper into his work, he begins questioning free will and reality, with meta-commentary on the illusion of choice—mirroring Black Mirror’s themes of technology’s dark impact. Some endings are tragic, involving madness or murder, while others reveal hidden layers of the story, such as Stefan discovering he is being controlled by Netflix itself.
The film was widely praised for its innovative use of interactivity, blending traditional cinema with gaming elements. However, some criticized it for feeling gimmicky or frustrating due to its looping structure. Regardless, Bandersnatch pushed the boundaries of storytelling and set a precedent for future interactive content on streaming platforms.
Watch it on Netflix.
