We did a Web site and a screensaver to support the contest and brand building of Discovery Channel Asia. The screensaver, featured here, was unique in that it was interactive. Users were able to use their mouse (transformed into a magnifying glass) to highlight one of ten “X Marks the Spot” locations on an old map. Mousing over one would inform them what the location was. Clicking on the ‘X’ would take them to a new screen which, set in an attractive environment, told them facts about the location as well as the Discovery Channel. We did research to ensure this information would be the type of interesting tidbits a viewer might see on the channel. If the user waited a few seconds, an auto-mode would kick in that would randomly choose locations for display (so it would be a proper screensaver - saving their screens and all). In between locations, programming highlights would appear to remind them of what they might be missing or, for this target, what specific types of programming they might want to buy advertising for.

Some of the facts in the location screens were actually answers to questions in the contest. So not only did it help them learn interesting things about different cultures, express the benefits of the channel, entertain them, beautify their screen, prevent monitor burn-in, inform them of schedule highlights... but it also aided them in the winning of the vacation.

The screensaver won a Certificate of Merit in the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents [the 4As] 1998 “Creative Circle Awards”. The judges included producers from Yahoo! and C|NET.