“Don’t be fooled by the magazine-like interface; this is a lot more than text and images. It cleverly uses sound, narration, video clips and interactive 360°-explorations. You’ll find yourself flipping through the content looking for more.” —juror Craig Swann

“Ah, auto brochures. What a crowded category. It’s nice to see one that’s not so over-the-top.” —juror Grace Stanat

Overview: CD-ROM-based e-booklet designed to convey the fun and innovation of the 9-3 Convertible. Used as a fulfillment piece for those both online and offline who requested further information on the vehicle.

• Built in Macromedia Director
• Features video, audio and QuickTime VR 360º spins
• 8 weeks, 6 people

Comments by Sheri Kaufmann:
“Saab didn’t ask us to create an e-booklet to help launch the redesigned 9-3 Convertible, they simply asked us for a big idea.

“We kept coming back to the key things people do when car shopping: They order a brochure and visit the manufacturer’s Web site. When done right, these tools can move someone from ‘Hmm, this looks like a cool car’ to ‘Wow, I need to test drive this thing!’ We saw it as a key area of opportunity.

“So we dreamed a little. We thought, what if you could take a paper brochure and do anything with it? What if you tossed aside the restrictions of paper, and let people reach into the brochure and spin the car, open the top and play with features? What if when you turned a page and saw the 9-3 against beautiful rolling hills, you could actually see the mist move across the scene and hear the birds singing? We wanted to bring people as close to the 9-3 Convertible as possible.

“The e-booklet was the result of our initial thoughts. We married the best of a brochure to the best of the Web. It’s an experience that is at once familiar and delightful, with surprises at each turn of the page, and it’s just the kind of innovation the Saab audience expects from the brand.

“The creative team was lean, mean (and sleepless) and our clients were wonderfully supportive.”