As the 2006 competition draws to a close, I
look back on the outstanding entry field in
awe. Simply put, I am blown away at the level
of work that is out there and how designers
and developers continue to reinvent new ways
to use technology to achieve their marketing
and communication goals. As a tribute, we conducted
interviews to share more information about the
winning individual or firm responsible for creating
the best of category entries in the 2006 competition.
THE
CANNERY WINNERS INTERVIEW
Mitch Powers, Vice President
Q. Give us a background
of your company.
A. For over 14 years, The Cannery has
built a reputation on innovation, creativity
and technical execution. As a Los Angeles-based
advanced media and creative services agency,
The Cannery combines the best strategic thinking
and cross-platform creative execution into market-driven
solutions that help clients build their brands
and drive their businesses. The Cannery has
four business units, including Cannery Agency,
Cannery Productions, Cannery Technology and
Cannery Games. The Cannery's wide variety of
clients include Activision, BMW, Gaylord Hotels,
Lionsgate, Mattel, MTV, National Geographic,
Nike, Sony Pictures, the US Olympic Committee,
Verizon Communications and The Walt Disney Company.
Q. What is your approach
to developing interactive media solutions?
A. The Cannery is a focused blend of
strategy, technology and creativity. In a world
where integrated marketing communications is
often talked about but rarely executed, The
Cannery seamlessly crafts a user experience
and on-brand strategic execution in the diverse
environments of online web site, mobile, email,
game and advertising to offline print, packaging,
in store POP, TV and radio. In addition to simplifying
the complexities of integrated communications
for clients, The Cannery is also playing a leading
edge role in the emerging digital entertainment
mediums of DVR, IPTV, UMD, Blu-Ray and HD content
delivery, leveraging The Cannery's rich history
in entertainment and media services that has
developed award-winning DVD experiences.
Q. What was the creative
inspiration for your winning project?
A. Game shows were definitely our inspiration.
The guys involved with Who Rules? are all game
show aficionados, many of whom have appeared
as game show contestants. I made an appearance
(but didn’t get a date!) on that all-time
‘90s MTV classic, Singled Out. Ben Weitz
won $1,500 and then spun out on the Wheel of
Fortune. And Bob Harris (Sr. Writer) boasts
of being not only a five-time winner on Jeopardy!,
but also the show’s biggest all-time cash
loser!
Q. What technologies
were involved with making the project?
A. Who Rules? is the first DVD game of its kind
embedded with cEDGEä, a next generation
game engine technology that promises to revolutionize
DVD games. The proprietary technology delivers
greater robustness and enriched content, providing
Who Rules? gamers with over 800 questions and
hundreds of fascinating video clips. No matter
how many times they play the game, gamers will
get a new game each time.
Q. What were the biggest
challenges to making the project and how did
you overcome them?
A. One of the biggest challenges was how to
incorporate all of our ideas into one game.
We definitely had to compromise on several levels,
but feel that all of our best ideas found their
way into the game.
Q. Did the project achieve
its goals?
A. Without a doubt. Our main goal was to create
a fun, thought-provoking and thoroughly interactive
gaming experience. We feel Who Rules? is a game
that brings friends and families together in
the living room to enjoy a very fun experience.
Q. Where do you / your
team turn for creative inspiration?
A. For the most part, we are pop culture fanatics.
Having grown up in the “TV Age,”
most of us take our inspiration from television
of the past. Cartoons, sitcoms and game shows
of the past are definitely an inspiration for
us.
Q. What trends do you
see in interactive media production today?
A. Since we were founded, The Cannery has thrived
on the development of new media formats. We
are uniquely poised to continue that heritage
with the emergence of Blu-Ray and other high-definition
formats as well as advances in Interactive TV
and mobile content delivery.
Q. What are some of your
favorite websites?
A. Joystiq.com, IMDB.com and Wired.com are some
of the websites I visit daily.
Q. What projects are
you working on now?
A. The Cannery is currently working on a number
of exciting and diverse projects. We have just
completed two additional DVD game titles in
the Who Rules? series; a music game called “Who
Rocks?™ and a Christian-themed DVD game
called Who Rules? Almighty Edition™. We
have also just completed a DVD game for Mattel
called Mad Gab Mania™, which will be released
later this year. In addition, we are developing
a great branding campaign and website for Student
Reward Card. Gaylord Resorts has also retained
our services to develop unique interactive tools
and websites to better showcase their many great
hotels.
