Hansel & Gretel
Experiential Based Marketing Entertainment, Visual Branding, User Engagement
Infusing elements of surprise into everyday life while generating curiosity and anticipation for the Netflix Hansel and Gretel movie release through a partnership with DoorDash.
TOOLS: Adobe CC, Unity
TIMELINE: 5 weeks, Fall 2024
TEAM: Brandt Youran Li, Silvia Shin
Develop an experience that brings Hansel & Gretel to life in the 21st century for key audiences in a major market with a strong promotional roll-out strategy focused on shareability & virality.
OBJECTIVE
CONCEPT
Infuse elements of surprise into everyday life while generating curiosity and anticipation for the Hansel & Gretel movie through a partnership with DoorDash.
To drive awareness and engagement, our team has conceptualized a strategic partnership with DoorDash. Through a temporary takeover of the app, users will be drawn into the world of Hansel & Gretel, receiving digital breadcrumbs that lead to exclusive content, special promotions, and a limited-time physical pop-up location in NYC. This pop-up experience will serve as the anchor for the campaign, providing a tangible, immersive space for audiences to step into the story and experience the narrative in real life.
RESEARCH
Audience demographics, insight, and strategy
To create an engaging and immersive experience, we identified key audience segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. We researched to understand what these audiences want and need, and what their buying habits look like. Our main focus is on the general audience, fantasy lovers, and horror fans. By understanding their preferences, we developed an activation that aligns with their expectations and social media habits.
Today's audiences desire convenient, immersive experiences that fit seamlessly into their daily lives, delivering excitement, wonder, adrenaline, and escapism. They look for exclusive opportunities to be part of something special, where storytelling intertwines with everyday moments. Our goal is to build community through a shared mobile experience, making engagement effortless, thrilling, and easily shareable.
Delivering an unexpected “surprise” through limited edition branding that unlocks an AR experience of the magic of Hansel & Gretel right at home.
DIGITAL + PHYSICAL INTEGRATIONS
Doordash UI Takeover
DIGITAL TOUCHPOINT
The DoorDash app is reimagined as an eerie, story-driven experience where the Witch takes control. Users begin receiving mysterious late-night notifications, and upon opening the app, they encounter a dark, enchanted UI overhaul. This digital transformation sparks curiosity, boosts awareness, and immerses users in the narrative from the moment they place their order to after it’s delivered.
Limited-Edition Packaging
PHYSICAL INTEGRATION
Each delivery serves as an entryway into the world of Hansel & Gretel, with limited-edition packaging inspired by the story. Themed food boxes come wrapped in fairy tale-inspired designs, featuring a hidden QR code that unlocks an exclusive AR experience. Some boxes contain "cursed" treats, offering lucky recipients special access to exclusive events or limited-edition merchandise. This fusion of physical and digital storytelling turns even a simple meal into an exciting, shareable moment full of intrigue.
AR Experience
DIGITAL TOUCHPOINT
Our approach was to integrate a limited-edition AR experience that captures the magic of the Hansel & Gretel release, enabling people to engage with the story from the comfort of their own homes. This interactive experience brings the enchantment of the fairy tale to life, allowing users to immerse themselves in a world of mystery and wonder through their devices. By blending physical and digital elements, we created an accessible way for audiences to participate in the experience, making it not only memorable but shareable, so the magic can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
STRATEGY
Engage audiences with pre-event teasers, live interactive experiences, and exclusive post-event content to build anticipation and maintain excitement.
For the Hansel & Gretel release, we developed a unique engagement strategy that spans the entire journey, ensuring excitement, anticipation, and sustained engagement throughout. Leading up to the event, we created immersive teasers and exclusive content to stir curiosity and build anticipation, allowing audiences to feel involved long before the main event. During the live event, we heightened the experience with interactive elements like AR features, live storytelling, and real-time surprises that brought the fairy tale to life in new and unexpected ways. This multi-phase approach fosters ongoing excitement and keeps the audience captivated, extending the narrative and experience well beyond the event itself.
PRE-EVENT
Awareness
KEY POINTS
INTEREST
INTEREST
CONCEPT VIDEO
CAPTURE
The pre-event promotion, in partnership with DoorDash, is designed to drive awareness and excitement around the release by engaging current app users and encouraging interaction with the campaign. Through exclusive in-app experiences and notifications, the strategy sparks curiosity and builds hype, drawing attention to the upcoming event. Additionally, this partnership aims to boost new app downloads by offering unique, limited-time promotions that attract new users and enhance overall engagement.
The DoorDash app is reimagined with a chilling, story-driven interface controlled by the Witch herself. Users receive eerie late-night notifications, and when they open the app, they encounter a dark, enchanted UI makeover. This digital transformation enhances awareness, ignites curiosity, and immerses users in the story, keeping them engaged from the moment they place their order to after it’s delivered.
We wanted to capture the magic of the Hansel & Gretel release and make it accessible to a variety of audiences, even from the comfort of their homes. As users step through a digital portal, they find themselves in a bakery overflowing with decadent treats, shelves lined with delicious pastries, and the air thick with sugar and spice. At the center, a glowing pink lollipop beckons. A sharp cackle pierces the air as the walls close in and the heat rises, blending digital storytelling with immersive interactivity for all to enjoy, regardless of location.
PRE- EVENT
Activations
The surprise packaging, AR experience, and exclusive treats are designed to amplify the excitement of the Hansel & Gretel release, offering fans a unique way to engage both digitally and physically. With each delivery, customers uncover limited-edition packaging that leads to an immersive AR experience, while exclusive "cursed" treats unlock special event invites and merchandise.
In addition, the release will be celebrated at "The Furnace," a physical pop-up location where the magic comes to life. An official launch party featuring influencers will further drive excitement, creating a buzz around both the release and the grand opening of The Furnace, ensuring a memorable and shareable experience for all involved.
EVENT
Engagement & Event
To celebrate the Hansel & Gretel release, we’re launching a limited-time pop-up location that transforms throughout the day and night. By day, The Bakery offers exclusive, fairytale-inspired baked goods in a whimsical yet unsettling atmosphere, where the sweetness of pastries hides a darker mystery beneath. As night falls, the space transforms into The Furnace, a hidden speakeasy accessible through an oven door. Here, influencers and lucky winners from the Cursed Treats Giveaway will gain access to an exclusive, immersive haunted party experience, deepening the mystery and magic of the Hansel & Gretel world.
PHASE THREE
Social Sharing
Visitors are encouraged to share their experiences using hashtags like #Hansel&Gretel, #TheFurnace, and #SweetTreatTime. These tags help turn the bakery and speakeasy into must-visit destinations, while user-generated content creates a buzz that organically attracts new audiences. As posts spread, the excitement grows, sparking curiosity and encouraging more people to experience the world of Hansel & Gretel and stay tuned for the release.
