"Over the Fence" and on to the computer screen

The stars of Export Gold’s new TV ads have made an impressive debut in a web-based computer game with ‘Over the Fence – the game’ played more than 66,000 times in six weeks.

The Export Gold marketing team of Jonathan Goldwater and Dave Shoemack say the beer’s target audience is tougher than ever to reach through traditional media, so the extension of a TV ad into a web-based game is a natural move to connect with the ‘Facebook’ generation.

Launched in March, the game is based on the popular TV ad and designed by Saatchi & Saatchi DGS. To win, you need to complete a number of steps – including throwing the digital dog ‘over the fence’, catching the flying pooch on the other side, hitting a six, and vaulting the fence to reach the sacred beer fridge.

Successful punters went into the draw to win prizes such as fridges full of Export Gold over a six week period, and while the prizes have all been given out, the game can still be tackled at www.exportgold.com/game.  

Average time spent on the website over the six week period was 8 minutes 15 seconds – significantly longer than the average before the game was launched. It also drove 1,000 opt-ins to the already strong Export database.

And with only 18 per cent of players managing to finish, it’s either quite a challenge or the lads have been digging in to the sponsor’s products while tackling the task.

Shoemack says: “Innovative brands have always been the ones who adapt their conventional campaigns to media that dig deep into the places their target audiences spend more and more time.

“The ‘Over the Fence’ game simply takes the concept into areas young guys hang out, giving us some great extension to the traditional TV ad format,” Shoemack says. “And it makes great viral so the guys want to pass it on.”