28 Jan 2019PopsciResident Evil Ad puts gamers in controlPOPSCI: A scientific slant on popular culture
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Capcom has launched an interactive YouTube ad for the remake of horror game Resident Evil 2. As digital advertising and storytelling become increasingly sophisticated, people are seeking the ability to drive narratives themselves. We explore the insights behind how the advert engages with users through decision-led interactions, responding to the multimedia trend of participatory communication.

Author
Abi BullerAbi Buller is the editorial assistant at Canvas8, which specializes in behavioral insights and consumer research. She holds a degree in Creative Direction for Fashion from the University of the Arts London. Outside of work, you'll find her wandering around art galleries, practising yoga and seeking out new pastel-coloured garments to add to her collection.

The Resident Evil 2 YouTube ad gives viewers the chance to follow one of the game’s two protagonists, Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy, then links to a separate video window with card options offering decisions such as ‘run away’ or ‘what’s behind that door?’. With the aim of surviving a zombie outbreak, the interactive, gamified ad gives users the chance to try before they buy – and it delivers results. “33% of the people who’ve watched the ad chose to continue the experience: quite high for a paid media campaign, and 85% chose to continue to the end,” says Stefano Barolo, UK and EMEA brand manager at Capcom.

As brands adapt to capture younger audiences, interactivity is emerging as a tool to drive and maintain user engagement. The recent success of Netflix’s interactive Black Mirror episode Bandersnatch suggests that viewer-driven narratives are a popular way to ‘gamify’ streaming content and establish a new relationship between users, brands and content. While the RE2 spot relies on user choice to give a snippet of the game itself, Cadbury’s ‘It’s Creme Egg Hunting Season’ campaign relied on real user interaction, alongside multimedia gamification. With Gen Z attention spans averaging at 8 seconds, and 12 seconds for Gen Y, brands should ensure interactive features tick the boxes of authenticity and audience participation to keep viewers stimulated.