In a very short time the term transmedia has moved from buzzword to a serious strategy for commercial and
non-commercial uses of diverse media platforms to support a unified effort in communicating a story or promoting an idea or
product (or all of the above). It is not the same as “multimedia” which implies the combined use of mediums to
generate a single product. Instead, there are multiple products, all orbiting a single idea that permeates our lives through
a multitude of mediums.
This strategy
of delivering content through a variety of methods and devices, designed to culminate into an understanding of, and engagement
with a particular subject, idea or product is essentially what exhibition designers have been doing for years. An exhibition
tells its story through a conglomeration of content delivery methods. What is different about transmediation is that its multilevel,
multimodal approach escapes the boundaries of any single venue. The story arrives through numerous channels that occupy as
many locations. It can flow through any combination of on-line sources, billboards, print media, live events, mobile devices,
radio and television. It could conceivably occupy all of them. Certainly, one of the challenges is cost, particularly when
it comes to a television presence. But the return can be well worth it, especially when they are well produced.
In 2009 Mazda launched one such project in Quebec, Canada.
It was called “33 Keys”. Defined as an alternate reality game, 33 keys immersed players in a real-world, science-fiction
adventure and (of course) the chance to win a brand new 2010 Mazda3.”
As this clip explains, an enigmatic broadcast simultaneously occupied
all of Quebec’s television stations. Thousands of viewers immediately jumped onto the website the commercial directed
them to. Here they began participating in a multi-platform narrative that included a real world “treasure hunt”
for 33 hidden keys. Through blogs, websites, radio and television spots, billboards, guerilla-style graphics, public stunts,
mobile technology and live streaming video, clues leading to the 33 keys inspired a mass interest that even had the news
media following along. Of course, the 33-day game ended with someone holding the one key that would start the 2010 Mazda3
and become its owner.
There are certainly
far more useful and important challenges that the public could be engaged in, but this immersive marketing experience was
reported to have delivered 500% above its projected impact. Think of how museum missions could operate globally through
experiences like alternate reality games or other transmedia concoctions. As exhibition and experience designers embrace
this 360 degree, multi-platform approach museums could begin to engage an entirely new, currently inaccessible audience.
