Puzzles engage commuters

The Offer: New York-based accounting firm Marks Paneth & Shron wants commuters in the metro area to participate in the same problem solving it faces each day. Posters featuring brain teasers appear at stations throughout New York transit and as ads in regional publications. Each drives participants to the company's site to find answers to the puzzles.  

The Data: Once on the site, visitors can read about the company's services and create a profile in order to receive alerts and the company's newsletter.  

The Channel: This second wave of the "It All Adds Up" campaign, launched in March by Fly Communications, exists in both print and out-of-home.  

The Creative: Posters and ads employ New York metro area geography and landmarks to stump commuters. Each puzzle contains a unique paragraph of copy outlining the accounting firm's offerings and directing viewers to a unique Web page to find the solution.  

The Verdict:

Nick Moore is chief creative officer and EVP at Wunderman in New York. He oversees all creative work for a client list that includes Land Rover and Kimberly Clark. Before joining Wunderman in 2006, Moore was creative director at TBWA\GGT, now called Tequila\London.

Many advertisers are trying to get prospects involved in their campaigns through user-generated content or competitions that require an upload. These brainteasers take a simpler route. Smart.

From the May 2011 Issue of Direct Marketing News »