A year's work in the making, this cryptic campaign is not easily categorised. Stella Artois wanted to present a more mysterious edge and gain appeal among the 18-24 year-old, marketing-savvy opinion formers – the sleaze-reading, iPod wearing, “blogger” generation.

To do this, we combined print, editorial, online, SMS, ambient and event management, to create an “Unbranded Brand Experience” set in a world where Stella Artois is so Reassuringly Expensive, people can (and will) sell their souls to drink it.

Three print ads began the experience on the pagan festival of Beltane (April 30th). Commissioned magazine editorial concealed cryptic URLs leading to three mysterious websites: www.sableshuck.com - a devilish company providing luxuries (like Stella Artois) in return for human souls.www.hornchurchstar.com - a fake online newspaper.www.hewalksamongus.com - a conspiracy site.These sites were part of a larger thirteen site web ring, to which people could sign up and receive emails and SMS messages.Once our alternative reality had been created, we used it as the basis for an immense, labyrinthine, multi-media game. This was launched via email on Halloween.

Goal: 25,000 visits Result: 85,000 visits (and counting)Massive word-of-mouth generated by bloggers/chatrooms. The site is listed on over 1,000 different sites worldwide. A dedicated web area was created by the target audience themselves on the Alternative Reality Gaming Network, and so far features 79 different topics about the campaign, 2,750 different comments and has been viewed over 100,000 times. A dedicated online encyclopaedia was created by the target audience themselves to help each other through the game and talk about the brand.