The branded-content situation in the United States is similar to that in many other countries, especially in broadcast: one run, one view, then on to the regularly scheduled programme.

To promote HBO’s True Blood Season 3 on DVD and Blu-ray, we needed our TV message to resonate far beyond its 30-second lifespan. So, we used it to challenge True Blood’s fanatical followers to a branded game that would prove just how much they could recall.So we created Dig Deeper—an interactive TV commercial that becomes the centre of an immersive digital scavenger hunt. To show True Blood fans that, just like Season 3, the more you look, the more you notice.

Introducing Dig Deeper, an interactive film that becomes the centre of an immersive digital scavenger hunt.First released on TV, the host of our spot asks whether fans caught all the details in True Blood Season 3. But if the audience looks more closely, they’ll start to notice that artifacts, props, even characters from Season 3 have been embedded throughout the film.It leads people to HBO.com/DigDeeper. Shot in 4x HD, the film plays in a custom interactive player that allows fans to zoom deep into the image, exploring the footage frame-by-frame.Then, the hunt is on for 60 taggable Season 3 clues. But to tag each clue, fans must answer a question proving they know what it is.Some clues are easy to get. Some, super-obscure. This way, just about any newbie can play, but only the hardcore 'truebies' can win.

Hundreds of thousands of Truebies put their fandom to the test—unlocking badges and updates to Facebook and Twitter to tout their progress. To brag. To start a conversation. Fans began creating cheat sites, trading answers, reposting, cheering and competing. Fans spent an average of 23 minutes poring over the Dig Deeper film. And as they play, they watched and re-watched a commercial.

Dig Deeper helped True Blood Season 3 become the highest-selling TV DVD of 2011.Digital experience. Film. Game. Sweepstakes. Social currency. It didn’t just help sell millions of DVDs, it brought fans together – to prove just how well they know their True Blood.