Release Your Darke Spirit

Background.

When Jägermeister set out to redefine its brand positioning in the American market, the iconic German spirit needed a Halloween campaign that would capture the imagination of a young, tech-savvy audience. By creating a groundbreaking augmented reality experience that transformed ordinary locations into supernatural playgrounds, Jägermeister turned a seasonal marketing effort into a viral, immersive brand engagement unlike anything seen before.

Challenge.

Jägermeister faced a critical marketing challenge: how to break out of its existing brand perception and create a truly innovative, interactive experience that would resonate with a new generation of consumers. The campaign needed to do more than simply promote a product, it needed to create a memorable, shareable moment that would generate widespread buzz and social media engagement.

With only an eight-week timeline, the team set out to develop a multi-channel strategy that would leverage cutting-edge technology and tap into the Halloween spirit. The goal was to transform Jägermeister from a bar staple into an experiential brand that could connect with consumers in unexpected and exciting ways.

The solution was a gamified scavenger hunt powered by augmented reality that brought the brand’s “Darke Spirit” to life. Users would first receive location-based ads guiding them to nearby participating venues. Upon arrival, a second wave of ads would prompt them to open their cameras, unlocking supernatural AR experiences. By partnering with location data provider Foursquare and using Amazon Sumerian’s AR technology, the team created this progressive interactive campaign across over 125,000 geo-fenced locations throughout the United States.

 The campaign strategy went beyond traditional marketing, creating a fully integrated experience that encouraged user participation. Users could activate AR spirits at bars, restaurants, and stores, then share their experiences on social media using the #DarkeSpirit hashtag for a chance to win exclusive Halloween party packs.

Leveraging broadcast TV, programmatic ads, editorial coverage, and social media, the campaign created a comprehensive ecosystem that invited audience interaction and brand exploration. The multi-channel approach ensured maximum visibility and engagement across different platforms and audience segments.

Campaign.

With just an 8-week timeline, we produced a fully interactive, custom AR experience, powered by Amazon Sumerian, letting users connect with Jägermeister in an innovative and unexpected experience. We partnered with location data provider Foursquare to let users unlock this experience at over 125,000 geo-fenced locations across the US. Once activated, consumers’ cameras revealed hidden spirits haunting select bars, restaurants, and stores. Users were prompted to post a screenshot on social with #DarkeSpirit for the chance to win one of 16 exclusive Halloween party packs.

The campaign leveraged broadcast TV, programmatic ads, editorials, press mentions, and the power of social media, creating a space where their new audience could ask questions, voice concerns, or even recommend friends and family to their heavily active business profile.

Results.

The Release Your Darke Spirit campaign delivered exceptional outcomes:

• Generated millions of impressions across media platforms
• Achieved extensive editorial coverage in Ad Age, Adweek, and industry publications
• Won a Silver ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation
• Created an unprecedented level of social media engagement

The campaign’s most remarkable achievement was its viral potential. Each user interaction sparked additional engagement, with participants recruiting an average of three additional people to interact with the campaign both online and at point-of-sale locations. This created an exponential brand growth curve, with a remarkable 1:4 investment ratio.

By prioritizing creativity, technology, and user experience, Jägermeister transformed a seasonal marketing campaign into a groundbreaking brand moment that redefined audience expectations and demonstrated the power of innovative marketing.

FIVE

We examined the relationship strengths between the Jägermeister brand and consumers, uncovering where, exactly, the Darke Spirit campaign would thrive and engage.

What we found was that a campaign microsite on the brand’s US-based website could serve as the centerpiece to the entire campaign, a focal point online. Through banner ads/rich media units, we could drive users to participating bars and venues. Social media polls would capture the event in real-time, and the interactive AR experience and supporting campaign collateral would directly connect consumers and the brand in an innovative and unexpected way.

ONE

Backed by the five touchpoints, we organized the campaign production and execution under a single, unified vision. We targeted audiences across digital channels and mobile devices, as well as at retail locations. Through the campaign touchpoints, the AR experience drove more traffic to participating venues, all while bolstering brand loyalty at the venue and creating social engagement through a scalable brand experience.

TWO

Over the course of the campaign, Jägermeister earned millions in engagement from tracked mobile devices across social, web, and ad networks.

But that’s only where it begins. Through earned loyalty and referred demand, brand engagement at retail locations was riding an exponential curve. Each person to interact with the advertising and AR experience would involve their group of friends and, on average, recruit three additional people to engage with the campaign at the POS and social media. A 1:4 investment ratio.