DewMocracy
So I’m hoping the “Moc” in DewMocracy is derived from “Mock.” You have to admit, the ad pokes a lot of fun at the sort of things which would grab our interest if they were plot lines for an upcoming blockbuster. Utilizing these conventions, it’s hard for us not to get interested however. I have to admit, that watching it, and exploring the website a bit, I can’t help but try to get involved in their new campaign.
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Okay, I finally got time to finish this blog. I’ll try to be brief, because once I get started on my reaction to a project, I can get pretty detailed and no one wants to read all that.
Overall, I find the concept behind Dewmocracy amusing. It’s a good way to get fans of mountain dew (apparently there are hardcore fans, I was not aware of this) involved in the release of new products. So far, releases like Code Red, Livewire and that Game Fuel (the last one, I wasn’t a huge fan of- too sweet) have already added 3 additional flavors to mountain dew to begin with. And it’s interesting, because giving drinkers (poor choice of phrasing I guess) the opportunity to choose the flavor also reduces the number of complaints. But that’s true of any system.
Now, you also can’t overlook how important this concept is. This entire campaign goes to the heart of what every person wants- control. Everyone wants to be in control of just about every aspect of their life. And I’m certain their soft drinks are no exception. Granted, it’s not exactly the sort of control everyone dreams of, but it’s a step in the right direction.
They put a story to all of this, and I don’t really remember all that much. A king, a prince, a sleeping princess, a turtle, some crabs, chambers and elements and such. Again I’m over simplifying, but it’s really to prove that the story, if you look at how it relates to Mountain Dew- it doesn’t. And that’s okay. It’s actually not so silly that you can’t suspend your disbelief at the plot if for no other reason to suck it up and forge ahead to make your soda. It’s pretty cheesy though. Quaint, but cheesy.
The method of choosing flavors through questions/puzzle/arcade-esque gameplay is also a novel idea. Honestly, I wasn’t’ sure how they could make a game about mountain dew terribly exciting, and in my opinion, it’s not as exciting as it is inviting. You spend more time interested in what will happen as you play, than you do trying to get a high score for example. The use of these mechanics allow players to make the choices without giving them too much to think about. If Mountain Dew bombarded me with which fruit blend combination I would want, as opposed to their rather simple method of selection, I think I would have probably just clicked my way through without giving much thought to it.
Ultimately, I think it’s a clever approach. And I’m sure anyone who takes the time to really look at the webpage will appreciate the work they put into the dialogue, story and games. It may not be the online playable of the year, but it’s a good time-suck.
