Project Introduction
Sony Music’s marketing agency, DPA Soho, commissioned
Digital Marmalade to build the UK version of Cypress
Hill’s website and a viral email game for the
launch of their new album. The purpose of the game
was to drive traffic to the website.
Project Build
Cypress Hill, the infamous rap group, renowned for
their outspoken and liberal attitudes towards the
recreational use of cannabis, wanted this opinion
to feature largely through their website and the related
email campaign.
Digital Marmalade, advised Sony on the different
technologies that could be used for the game and their
benefits/drawbacks. Together we decided that the best
tool for this job was Macromedia Flash, as its standalone
player would be small to download. Digital Marmalade
then set about brainstorming ideas for the viral game
and putting together the website to Sony’s specification.
The idea of the game was to grow your own cannabis
plant by feeding and watering it. The incentive to
play was that if you were successful, you would be
given access to a secure part of the Cypress Hill
website, where you could listen to samples of the
forthcoming album.
Emails were sent to all the registered fans of Cypress
Hill, from this the email propagated through-out the
music industry, driving over 250,000 users to the
website. Mission accomplished.
