Trapping viewers in a locked room might seem like TV executive’s crazy fantasy, but USA Network actually did it.
To build anticipation for its newest mystery series Dig, the network partnered with Escape the Room to create an interactive and immersive puzzle open to the public. The experience, which kicked off in New York on February 26, challenged teams of as many as 10 to solve riddles, crack codes, and analyze artifacts to unlock the door—and escape the room—before time ran out.
“In today’s marketplace you have to figure out ways to break through the clutter,” said Michael Sluchan, senior vice president of original programming at USA Network. “We are bombarded with all these different marketing messages. To create an experience and tie in with an already existing property that’s already popular and create a customized experience for a USA audience is somewhat amazing.”
This was Escape the Room’s first TV-show-theme assignment. The New York-based live game and and entertainment company currently operates dozens of “rooms” across the country, each with different themes, including one based on a typical New York apartment.
For Dig, game creator Victor Blake designed a one-of-a-kind marketing activation from scratch, combining elements from the show with his interactive concepts. “The hard part isn’t coming up with any individual puzzle; the hard part is putting it into an arc or narrative like any other kind of book or story,” he said.
The show's symbology, themes, and even a bit of actual digging was integrated into the game. “Everyone wants to be Indiana Jones … and now you’re also part of Dig. You’re the main character of the show—at least for those 25 minutes,” Blake said.
“I want [visitors] to be excited, overwhelmed, intrigued, curious—everything that they experience when they watch the show itself, which is the most important thing to us,” Sluchan added.
"Goal alignment was achieved early in the ideation phase, which allowed everyone to focus on making a fantastic consumer experience. It was critical that every part of the design happen concurrently. While Escape the Room outlined the puzzle, the remainder of the team designed the environment to mimic the mystery and intrigue of the show," said Darren Andereck, president and creative director of marketing and branding agency HudsonGray, which handled the physical design, fabrication, production, and staffing for the activation.
Along with traditional marketing efforts, USA also partnered with Snapchat and self-publishing platform Wattpad to expand its reach. “The way people are getting their messages is so different and varied these days. … We’re trying to find different avenues beyond the billboard or the magazine ad or the 20- or 30-second television spot,” Sluchan said.
In addition to New York, game enthusiasts were able to sign up to test their skills in Boston, Philadelphia, and at the Universal theme parks in both Hollywood and Orlando from February 26 to March 8.
"Knowing that the activation would live in different environments, we designed something that met the building and fire safety codes of all municipalities. We were diligent about creating design protocols and training manuals ensuring that the look, feel, and consumer experience were consistent and equally impactful across all markets," Andereck said.
“Doing [a game] on this scale, doing a high-quality game that’s starting in five different places all at once is the biggest challenge,” said Blake, who has more marketing projects in the works but did not reveal any clues about them.
