Even though many people understand about the threat of online tracking, they are not fully aware of the extent their data is not only tracked but also traded to make profit for big corporations. The unpleasant truth is that these organisations turn people into products through the monetization of their data without their permission or consent. This most definitely wouldn’t be accepted in the real world but somehow is accepted within the online world. To make people deeply aware of this fact, we needed to deliver our message in a surprising way to let people personally experience how big corporations treat them when they go online. To do this we actually turned people into products by publically selling their private data to let them experience what happens behind the code every time they go online.

With the help of a specially prepared holiday apartment in the center of Hamburg, we turned the guests into products when they went online. This was made possible with the help of a primed WiFi network and a team of specialists. As soon as the guests logged onto the WiFi the walls of the apartment were carried away, exposing the guests. Their private data was then accessed in real time through their own devices and sold publicly. This elaborate promotion not only helped deliver a deeply personal message to the guests but also created urgency for the audience by reminding them to take back control of their data by downloading Firefox.

The Data Drama outdoor stunt was set up for 9 days and seen by thousands of passers by who experienced the action live on one of the busiest streets in Germany - the famous Hamburg Reeperbahn. Never before had peoples private data been sold so publically in an effort to provoke conversation regarding Internet ethics and privacy. The subsequent video that was created was spread through blogs, social media and through the local press. This all helped create urgency, helping us to generate over 800% more downloads than our campaign expectations. But more importantly, Firefox exposed the hidden business of the Internet and helped start a conversation about the importance of online privacy and taking back control.

• Over 11.500.000 Facebook views. 11.000+ Comments. 3000+ shares.

• Over 1200 top tier media impressions

• Campaign goal of 1.000.000 downloads reached in just two weeks.

• 8,130,567 total downloads. More than 800% above expectation.