A major season_3.0 plotline in Mr. Robot centers on the villainous corporation E Corp using their Bank of E to launch Ecoin, a crypto-currency that quickly replaces the US dollar. In an extensive yearlong initiative, we brought this timely and relevant story-arc to life by creating a working version of Ecoin that fans could actually engage and transact with “IRL,” allowing them to feel like they were living in the Mr. Robot story-world. The campaign was designed to blur the line between fiction and reality; Ecoin launched at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) with the conceit that E Corp would be piloting the product in the San Diego area. In a Comic-Con first, the Ecoin narrative that began at SDCC continued at New York Comic-Con (NYCC) months later, where E Corp announced it would be hosting an Ecoin launch event. The Ecoin campaign continued throughout season_3.0, allowing fans nationwide to participate.

E Corp kicked off its “Summer of Ecoin” at SDCC where fans could sign up for Ecoin accounts at a Bank of E branch by enrolling on the custom e-coin.com website. This website issued unique QR codes that could be scanned at over 20 local business, which were accepting Ecoin as a valid form of payment. The platform also offered a live map to direct fans to these participating vendors, one of which the Red Wheelbarrow BBQ, a restaurant from Mr. Robot that was perfectly replicated right next door to the Bank of E. Eagle-eyed fans soon discovered clues & Easter eggs within Ecoin and around the restaurant and bank which led to an extensive scavenger hunt; only those skilled and savvy enough to decipher the clues were led to a secret backroom experience where they could reenact an iconic scene from Mr. Robot in a thrilling immersive theatre experience. Months later at NYCC, fans who had enrolled in Ecoin were invited to a lavish launch event hosted by E Corp. Blurring the line between fiction and reality, E Corp CEO Philip Price emerged to deliver a keynote address, never breaking character. But once again, there was more than met the eye; over the course of the event, fans who followed clues found their way to back halls and hidden rooms and could eventually be recruited to join hacker collective fsociety as they took over the event, turning it into a surprise screening of the Mr. Robot season_3.0 premiere. The Ecoin initiative continued throughout season_3.0 and fans with Ecoin accounts nationwide could participate in a perks program for surprise chances to redeem prizes like Mr. Robot sneak peeks, a custom ringtone created by the show’s composer, and much more.

The interactive Ecoin campaign was a great success and continued USA Network’s tradition of engaging fans through deep and rich in-world experiences that bring Mr. Robot to life in new and exciting ways. To date, the e-coin.com website has garnered over 402K unique visitors and over 4.2MM page views while the overarching campaign has generated 427MM media impressions and 22.9MM social impressions. This world-building campaign defied everyone’s expectations; not only did it bridge the gap between the show’s second and third seasons, it bridged the gap between fiction and reality in order to let fans feel like they had truly become a part of the Mr. Robot narrative.