Digital easter eggs: The brand marketing tactic you need to know
Harry Styles knows how to get people talking.
The multi-hyphenate artist is a near-constant trending topic on social. Whether he’s making music, promoting a movie or launching a new merchandise venture, people can’t help but discuss what he’s up to.
Sure, a swift rise to stardom as a member of a beloved boy band doesn’t hurt his cultural relevance. However, that’s not all there is to it. When you peek behind the curtain of the Harry Styles media machine, there are a ton of marketing maneuvers at play. Specifically, easter egg marketing.
If that phrase conjured images of pastels and bunny rabbits, keep reading. Let’s take a look at how this video game staple became a marketing mainstay.
What is a digital easter egg?
A digital easter egg is a hidden message or feature found in digital works, like a video game, website or movie trailer.
The first digital easter egg was placed in the Atari video game, Adventure, by a programmer looking to give himself some much-deserved credit for his work on the project.
Source: Forbes
The addition was too costly to remove and there was no business reason to do it. The secret message influenced more people to play the game so they could find it for themselves.
What makes easter egg marketing so effective?
Sometimes, it’s the little things that mean the most. Digital easter eggs are usually in the small details but they make a major impact on social. Here’s why:
They raise brand awareness
The Marvel Cinematic Universe uses easter eggs to create connections between their many stories. The 2021 release of the miniseries “WandaVision” took this practice to new heights.
WandaVision premiered on Friday nights throughout its run on Disney Plus, followed shortly by a weekly social media frenzy. Fans took to Twitter, TikTok and Instagram to discuss the many easter eggs hidden throughout the show, increasing the show’s popularity.
If you wanted to know what people were talking about, you had to watch the show.
From I Love Lucy to the House of M, here's every Easter Egg and TV reference in Marvel's #WandaVision, so far. https://t.co/seg8MkNRYC pic.twitter.com/D5x4w6stQY
— IGN (@IGN) January 15, 2021
Discover the hidden treasures of digital easter eggs as a savvy brand marketing tactic that can elevate your campaign to unparalleled success.
Master the art of including digital Easter eggs in your brand marketing campaigns for a subtle yet impactful way to engage with customers, enhance lounging experiences and stand out from competitors - it's an underused tactic you can no longer afford not know.
