Vroom #2: Harley-Davidson

There is no messing around when it comes to the Harley-Davidson.

The one thing about HD that they just get, above so many others, the owner relationship. They've always had some great things for owners, and not afraid to let the world see it.


Who else will sell you skins for every type of device in your life, from computer to xbox controller?


The Motorcycle maps look even better than triple A's.

If those things were enough to get you interested in a hog, you can use their cycle finder app to find the right one for you.

fuck i sound like an advertisement. i don't even have a bike. that's what smart work does to you though, you find yourself hawking it whether you want to or not.

/.chow.\

Vroom #1: Kawasaki Ninja

Ninja's happen. It's just a fact of life.

This week is moto-hog-rocket week, and first up is Kawasaki.

Where would we be without the 360 + hotspots? They're the best when they're in an environment like this, as opposed to pure white or studio.

Ninja's race. That's what ninja's do. Usually after totally freaking out on a bunch of dudes.

I love the small details, like being able to put your name on the jacket of your rider before the race.

The game is slick but not very exciting. I'm sure the actual experience is more heart-pumping, rather than heart-plodding.

/.poof.\

Spotlight: HBO Imagine

HBO has just launched a new interactive campaign, so I thought i'd single it out before moving on to another industry.

If you read my last post (A&E), I was talking about bringing interactivity to the viewing space. Coincidentally enough, that's just what HBO has done with their HBO Imagine campaign.

Turn the box to watch the drama from a different viewpoint.

Or zoom out to choose a different node of the story.

The web of story, flattened for you to keep track of what you're seen.

I wont' go into details on the story I've watched so far....but there is a "drowning mime" scene.

what are you still doing here?

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #6: A&E

Ok, one more post and then we're done with Cable shows for now.

I was determined to see if the Photo-hunt game-type was a common occurence in other stations sites. While I did find another photo-hunt on the A&E site, it was the following piece that prompted me to add another post. (BTW - the History channel has the best games I've discovered).

AE has an Interactive Investigation that is basically a choose your own adventure through a "ghost-hunter" like show. You choose the people to talk to and the actions the team performs.
I think it's a web-only show and cast.

Why web-only cast though? What excites me about this is the thought of interactive tv. Why limit it?

Here's a crazy test. Take a show like Heroes. It's premiering tonight, and it's 2 hours. Why not put it up the day before online - but interactive. Where you choose a hero/plotline and experience the episode through that perspective..making the choices along the way.

Pros:
1. The viewing experience for fans could possibly go from 2 hours to 3+ (with replays and revisits).
2. Ad impression would be minutes not seconds (see #1)

Cons:
1. Plot revealed a day before. Oh well.

There must be more Cons..any thoughts?

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #5: Californication, Tudors, and the Sho

Wrapping up this segment I took a stroll over to Showtime.

Californication has a typical QA flash piece at areyouhellasexy.com, but it's executed nicely.

After you answer each question (they're multiple choice) it gives you a clip from the show that features one of the answers in the scene. One nerdy note..the box seen above that holds the clips moves about a little on a Z-axis, and the video will skew along with it. Just slightly mind you, but nicely done nonetheless.

The Tudors has a Tower Defense Game:

The only connection between the game and the show is...cannons and archers maybe? Would be more fun if you were defending against the zombie horde of Henry's dead wives.

Apparently Photo-hunts are in this fall. Showtime has a whole Flash experience that features most of it's shows in a Photo Hunt game.

This one seems better put together than the one for Crash, and harder. Good soundtrack too.

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #4: Crash, Head Case and Party Down

Starz has a neat orderly system for each of their shows. Sections on the cast, videos and a predictable bookend "special" section.

For the show Crash, the special section is a photo-hunt game.

For the show Head Case, the section is an interactive video couch session with what I assume is one of the characters:

And for Party Down, a time-management game:

I haven't seen Crash or Head Case, but Party Down is a great show. And this interactive piece does it no justice whatsover. It's flat and phoned in. This is what happens when you get too formulaic with your sections. When putting together the content for your site, the thought is "Ok, now we need to put something in the special section" instead of "how can we extend the entertainment and soul of the show interactively?".

that sounds awfully idealistic i know. but a photo-hunt game?

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #3: Deep Blue

I think the Wire ruined every cop show for me for the rest of my life. If something better comes along, I'll be very happy though.

I don't think Deep Blue fits that category, but I'm only judging it by it's previews, I could be wrong.

I like the Deep Blue promotional site however.

The site is an interactive experience where you join the Deep Blue team and go undercover. What you see above are the organizations I have infilitrated so far. A new chapter comes out every week, and you can sign up to win an "Undercover" trip for two to LA.

A chapter consists of:

Video clips of the show's characters briefing you on the jobs you need to do.

Interactive conversations with the bad guys. If you look at the upper right corner of the text box there's a litte spectrum device. This determines whether or not you are close to being caught, or being "flipped". Which leads me to believe there might be multiple endings to this.

And there are multiple games for each chapter. The games are simple but fit very well in to the story-line. Like hot-wiring a car, or, as seen above, wire-tapping a house.

Overall it's a little cheesy, but I'm a sucker for episodic interactive.

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #2: HBO Comedy Fetishes

Do you laugh at very long awkward moments? You may have a comedy fetish.

I laugh at the word pickles. That's me being honest about my pickle fetish.

Enter HBO's Comedy Fetish site

Basically it's just a stylish clip portal. Pick your fetish, and see clips from their shows...fetishes like Full-Frontal Confrontation, Nasty Comebacks, Premature Evaluations, or Redneck Raunch.

Throw in a way for you to collect your favorites and send a play-list to your friends...

Top it off with a co-promotion with Funny Or Die.com. Never seen this particular promotion before - Submit your own funny viral video?!

Sarcasm aside, it's a tight little package. Like a virgin hobbit. (another fetish of mine).

/.chow.\

Cable Ready #1: Mad Men

"Did you watch TV last night? Good. It's your job." - Sterling Cooper

I will not gush on, over, around or near Mad Men, but we likes our precious. It doesn't have the bite of True Blood (groan), the sharp edge of Dexter (oh jesus stop), or the comedic meat of Hung (ok killing myself now), but it's got the monopoly on flavour.

Seeing as how the 3rd season just started, there's a few things going on at the AMC website for Mad Men.

The first is the option to "Mad Men" yourself.

This is a bit familiar. Build a Character.

Choose the scene and then download the wallpaper or avatar.

I'm the one on the right. Not sure who the jackass with the eye-patch is.

I'm a bit disappointed with this piece. Not only is it a common mechanic, it just doesn't seem to fit Mad Men. Smells corporate to me.

The other thing going on, you might be interested in....grab yer camera, Annie.

Film yourself doing a part from Mad Men and win a walk-on appearance. Or just vote on the ones that have submitted. I counted 60+ entries, all available to watch.

/.chow.\

Power Up #5: Dirt 2

I was going to move on to another industry when I came across this site. I just had to share.

Dirt 2 is dirt-biking game, and to promote the game they offer dirty tat making...

Use a needle, or select some pre-made stencils, and make a tat on this woman's expansive chest.

/.oink.\

Holiday for Brains

Will be back next week.