Chrysler Hits the Road with New Advergame

Chrysler has developed an online game that uses a “Road Trip” theme in a bid to educate women about its 2006 Town & Country minivan.

“Road Trip Challenge,” built by boutique interactive agency 15letters, lets players use puzzle pieces to build a road to various destinations — like the neighborhood swimming hole, farmer’s market or family campground. The casual game is meant to engage the brand’s core target audience of women without alienating men, Mark Rattin, president and creative director at 15letters, told ClickZ News.

“Chrysler has been a progressive brand online. They know the value of allowing people to spend time with their brand,” Rattin said.

The game is designed to allow players to experience and talk about the vehicle in a fun context. Once players piece together the puzzle pieces to build a road, they then travel it in a Chrysler minivan they’ve customized by choosing a color. In between rounds, the game educates players on vehicle options, like safety, seating, storage, and multimedia.

“Engagement is a huge aspect of our business and design. As the media space becomes more fragmented, and people are being messaged to all the time, there’s a lot to be said for having someone spend 3 to 10 minutes with your brand,” Rattin said.

The game has multiple levels, meant to encourage players to return several times. It also has leaderboards to post high scores, and a viral “tell a friend” element. The game will be available on Chrysler’s site at the end of the month.

Rattin said 15letters won the business after Chrysler’s agency, BBDO Detroit, had seen its work on the more than a dozen online games it developed for an Orbitz promotion earlier this year. “They appreciated the sense of humor and sense of design they saw in those games,” he said.