Strategy Lab

Every sector has a hidden frame. Strategy Lab: playable marketing mechanisms, sector by sector.

The reel with the hidden code was the start. Here you'll find mechanisms for hotels, bakeries, football clubs, wineries, logistics and 21 more sectors. Most of the scenarios run in your browser.

Pick a sector Or answer three questions

16 playable scenarios: 16playable scenarios
12 idea cards: 12idea cards
24 mechanisms: 24mechanisms
26 sectors: 26sectors

Index of mechanics

24 mechanisms in six families.

Each one has been proven in a real campaign, and we note the psychology that drives it. Combine two or three and you have a scenario.

Arrow keys to move, Enter to filter, Esc to clear.

Time The moment is the message.

Hidden in time

A curiosity gap begs to be closed; every miss becomes a reason to try again (Loewenstein 1994).Proof KFC 2006 · O2 Stories · Heinz ‘Slow This Ad’ 2023 · Netex Frame Hunt

Platform signal watch time, replays

Fits with Ch Sn

Scenarios using it 2 Frame Hunt: Catch the Frame Headphones Only
Live event

High-arousal moments make content travel (Berger & Milkman 2012). The offer rides on something people are already talking about.Proof McDonald's Switzerland, EURO 2024: live score on digital screens (no results published)

Platform signal real-time engagement, Stories

Fits with Ch Wx Ut Qr

Scenarios using it 7 The Heat Pays Wind Window Goal Rush Pallet Passport Just Out Sunrise on Deck The Melting Price
Condition trigger

An offer that switches on with a heatwave or a pollen spike feels timely and fair, not like ‘another sale’.Proof Guinness Weather 2023: +14.7% pub visits vs control (award entry) · Haleon, Greece: clicks 3.37× plan (vendor data)

Platform signal relevance at the moment that matters, zero wasted media

Fits with Ch Lv Ut Av

Scenarios using it 5 The Heat Pays The Tree That Texts Wind Window Pollen Radar Before the Hail

Play The viewer becomes a player.

Snackable game

We remember what we see while we're curious (Gruber, Gelman & Ranganath 2014). A challenge holds minutes, not seconds.Proof Frontify ‘Spot the Brand’ 2024: 40,000+ plays, +96% leads in 2 weeks (self-reported)

Platform signal time on page, leads

Fits with Sv Qr Ch Dm

Scenarios using it 8 Key in the Sand The Freddo Index Human vs Vision AI Do 20 Squats The Blurred Line-up Twelve Secrets of the Old Town The Fake First Line Spot the Violation
Deliberate mistake

‘I caught it’ feels good, and pride gets posted (pratfall effect, Aronson et al. 1966).Proof Specsavers ‘The Misheard Version’ 2023: +19% call volume vs forecast (self-reported)

Platform signal comments, sends

Fits with Gm Ch

Scenarios using it 3 Find the Mistake The Fake First Line Spot the Violation
Collective goal

Effort rises as the goal gets closer (goal gradient, Kivetz, Urminsky & Zheng 2006).Proof Duolingo ‘Death of Duo’ 2025: ≈169,000 mentions in two weeks (vendor data)

Platform signal return visits, mentions

Fits with Gm Ch

Scenarios using it 1 The Blurred Line-up

Self Everyone's favourite subject is themselves.

Data mirror

People share data about themselves; identity is the most shareable content there is.Proof Spotify Wrapped 2025: ≈200M users engaged within 24 hours (self-reported)

Platform signal sends, Story shares

Fits with Pk Qr Gm Sn

Scenarios using it 5 The Freddo Index Hear That?e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes The Two-Code Bottle Pallet Passport
Self-visualisation

Imagine owning it and it already feels yours (psychological ownership, Peck & Shu 2009).Proof Google AI try-on 2025: Alphabet called engagement ‘extremely positive’ (self-reported, no figures)

Platform signal interaction time, bookings

Fits with Gm Qr Hl

Scenarios using it 5 Key in the Sand Sunlight Time Machine Human vs Vision AI Do 20 Squats Shade Mirror
Sensor magic

The phone measures your body or your sound, and ‘how did it do that?’ gets sent. Arousal is measurable, and arousal travels (Berger & Milkman 2012).Proof Netex scenarios: Do 20 Squats, Hear That? (no published numbers yet)

Platform signal sends, time on page

Fits with Ht Wr

Scenarios using it 2 Headphones Only Hear That?
Personal message

Your name, spoken by someone you recognise: personal recognition and social currency.Proof Virgin Voyages ‘Jen AI’ 2023: 1,000+ bookings in roughly the first month (self-reported)

Platform signal sends, replies

Fits with Ch Hl Wx Pk

Scenarios using it 3 Postcard From Next Summer The Tree That Texts The Two-Code Bottle
AI co-creation

We love what we made ourselves (the IKEA effect, Norton, Mochon & Ariely 2012).Proof Burger King ‘Million Dollar Whopper’ 2024: 3M AI burgers, 1.3M new app sign-ups (agency-reported)

Platform signal user content, sign-ups

Fits with

Scenarios using it No scenario uses this mechanism yet. The first one could be yours.
Hyper-local at scale

‘That's my street.’ Self-relevance makes the same message personal, a thousand times over.Proof Cadbury ‘#NotJustACadburyAd’, India 2021: Cannes Titanium Lion

Platform signal relevance, local reach

Fits with Av Ch Sv Qr

Scenarios using it 3 Postcard From Next Summer Sunlight Time Machine Twelve Secrets of the Old Town

Object and place The physical becomes media.

Packaging as media

Every unit becomes your own channel, with no rent paid to a platform.Proof Barbadillo NFC bottles (≈2017): 54% of brand engagement in the period (vendor data, older)

Platform signal scans, a direct line to the customer

Fits with Wr Av Lv

Scenarios using it 2 The Two-Code Bottle Pallet Passport
Code as content

A symbol with no explanation opens an information gap; the only move left is to scan it.Proof Coinbase, Super Bowl 2022: 20M+ visits in one minute (self-reported)

Platform signal off-platform traffic

Fits with Gm Sv Wr Lv

Scenarios using it 5 The Freddo Index Do 20 Squats Shade Mirror Goal Rush Twelve Secrets of the Old Town
Scarce object

We want more of what there's less of (scarcity, Worchel et al. 1975).Proof Heineken ‘The Boring Phone’ 2024: 5,000 units, 70,000+ tried to get one (self-reported)

Platform signal earned media, waitlists

Fits with

Scenarios using it No scenario uses this mechanism yet. The first one could be yours.
Built for the camera

What's designed to be filmed gets filmed. Creators and customers do the distribution.Proof Graza, olive oil in a bottle built for TikTok (2022): reported figures conflict, so we don't quote them

Platform signal creator content, views

Fits with Lv Ch Ac Lw

Scenarios using it 2 Sunrise on Deck Pay With a Skill
Impossible reality

‘Is it real?’ Doubt fills the comments and the replays. Since 2 August 2026 it must be labelled as AI.Proof Maybelline, lashes on the London Tube 2023: tens of millions of views, and criticism for a weak brand link

Platform signal comments, sends

Fits with

Scenarios using it No scenario uses this mechanism yet. The first one could be yours.
Living window

Visible effort raises perceived value (the labour illusion, Buell & Norton 2011).Proof Apple TV+ ‘Severance’, glass office at Grand Central 2025 (no published numbers)

Platform signal dwell time, passers-by filming

Fits with Lv Ch Ac Cm

Scenarios using it 2 Just Out Pay With a Skill

Conversation and answers The answer at the moment of the question.

Conversational commerce

The question is answered the moment it comes up. Low friction, instant reply.Proof Styli, WhatsApp re-engagement: +67% conversion vs push (self-reported)

Platform signal DMs, customer-started conversations

Fits with Lv Wx Gm Av

Scenarios using it 13 Frame Hunt: Catch the Frame The Heat Pays Postcard From Next Summer The Tree That Texts Pollen Radar Goal Rush The Blurred Line-up Just Out Sunrise on Deck Before the Hail The Fake First Line Spot the Violation The Melting Price
Interactive inbox

The action happens inside the email, with no click-through.Proof We quote no figure: we found no verifiable published result. The mechanism is being tested in e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes.

Platform signal bookings from the inbox

Fits with Wr Ge

Scenarios using it 1 e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes
Be the AI's answer

An AI assistant's recommendation lends authority; the visitor arrives half-decided.Proof Tally: 43% of new users come via AI tools (self-reported)

Platform signal mentions in AI answers, AI referrals

Fits with Ix Wr

Scenarios using it 1 e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes

Trust Honesty as a mechanism.

Ugly truth

Show the flaw and you're believed on everything else (two-sided messages, Aronson et al. 1966).Proof Burger King ‘Moldy Whopper’ 2020: +14% sales (self-reported)

Platform signal earned media, comments

Fits with Wx Lv Ch

Scenarios using it 3 Wind Window Before the Hail The Melting Price
Risk reversal

Losses weigh more than gains; whoever takes on the risk wins the decision (Kahneman & Tversky 1979).Proof An idea from Netex research: ‘If It Rains, It's On Us’, a weather guarantee for hotels (no published precedent)

Platform signal conversion, direct bookings

Fits with

Scenarios using it No scenario uses this mechanism yet. The first one could be yours.
Alternative currency

Change the currency and the price itself becomes the talking point (mental accounting, Thaler 1985).Proof IKEA ‘Buy With Your Time’, Dubai 2020: Titanium Lion shortlist, no published results

Platform signal earned media, conversation

Fits with Lw Cm

Scenarios using it 1 Pay With a Skill

By sector

What line of business are you in?

26 sectors in eight groups. Pick one and we'll keep only what's relevant to you.

Can't find your sector? Mechanisms travel. Try a neighbouring one.

Playable

16 scenarios. Play first, read later.

Each scenario has three parts: you play it, you see why it worked, and you find out how it would run for you, with an honest range.

E-shop Ht Ch

Frame Hunt: Catch the Frame

A reel of a car driving past. A discount code in a single frame. People stopped it again and again to catch it, and the e-shop's DMs filled up.

A real Netex project Complexity 2/5 Production cost €

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Ht Hidden in time + Ch Conversational commerce
Technology: A Reel, frame accuracy with requestVideoFrameCallback, server-checked codes, automated DMs.
Why it works: The pause becomes a game, every miss is another view, and ‘can you?’ gets sent.
What to expect (honestly): Watch time, replays, sends and DMs. The campaign's exact numbers go up once they're cleared for publication. story · numbers to follow

Try it

E-shops and fashion Wx Lv Ch

The Heat Pays

A summer-line discount equal to today's top temperature in your city minus 30 °C, capped. ‘Larissa 39° → 9% off today.’

Playable now Complexity 2/5 Production cost €€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Wx Condition trigger + Lv Live event + Ch Conversational commerce
Technology: Licensed weather data through our own proxy, a per-city coupon refreshed hourly, dynamic catalogue ads, a Viber push.
Why it works: A discount set by the weather feels fair, not like ‘another offer’. And a heatwave is already news.
What to expect (honestly): Catalogue-ad CTR +20–60% and conversion +10–30% on trigger days. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Hotels Gm Sv

Key in the Sand

In February, a gigapixel panorama of the hotel's beach. Somewhere in it, a brass key. The first correct click wins a week for two.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Gm Snackable game + Sv Self-visualisation
Technology: Deep-zoom tiles (OpenSeadragon), server-side click checks, a find-time leaderboard, one hint a day.
Why it works: While they search, players are already walking the hotel in their heads. Seek games hold minutes: Cadbury Worldwide Hide averaged ≈5 minutes (self-reported).
What to expect (honestly): 3–6 minutes on page; 1–3% of players book early. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Restaurants and tavernas Ht Sn

Headphones Only

An ASMR reel of souvlaki on charcoal. Inside the sound, a whispered word you only hear clearly on headphones. Say it at the counter, get a free dessert.

Playable now Complexity 1/5 Production cost €

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Ht Hidden in time + Sn Sensor magic
Technology: Mid-side audio mastering, tested on 10+ phones, a word that changes weekly, a daily redemption cap.
Why it works: A curiosity gap and the ‘I heard it’ feeling. The comments split into ‘I can't hear a thing’ and ‘got it’.
What to expect (honestly): Watch time 1.5–3× baseline; 20–100 redemptions a week for a busy venue. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Cafés and coffee bars Qr Wr Gm

The Freddo Index

Cup sleeves with a QR at the neighbourhood café: ‘How many freddos this year?’ Four swipes, a personal index and a funny card for Stories, with a code for the next coffee.

Playable now Complexity 2/5 Production cost €–€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Qr Code as content + Wr Data mirror + Gm Snackable game
Technology: A small web app, a 1080×1920 canvas card, a come-back code, opt-in to the café's Viber channel.
Why it works: A personal data mirror, like Wrapped, built on a very Greek habit. Distribution at near-zero media cost.
What to expect (honestly): 2–6% of sleeves scanned; 10–20% of scanners leave a contact; 5–10% of those come back with the code. Typical range · Netex estimate

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B2B manufacturing Gm Sv

An AI-generated image of an olive-oil bottling line hides eight deliberate defects. Engineers get 60 seconds to find them. Then they see what a vision model found in the same image: all eight, plus three false alarms.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Gm Snackable game + Sv Self-visualisation
Technology: A deep-zoom photo, a defect map, the vision model's findings with their confidence scores and false alarms, a company leaderboard for LinkedIn.
Why it works: A skill challenge, then two surprises: the machine finds what people missed, and openly shows where it got things wrong. Frontify ran something similar in B2B: 40,000+ plays (self-reported).
What to expect (honestly): 2–5% of target-customer players request an assessment. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Hotels Av Hl Ch

Postcard From Next Summer

In February, every past guest gets a 20-second video: their name written in the sand, the sunset time on the day they'd return, and a direct-booking-only code.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Av Personal message + Hl Hyper-local at scale + Ch Conversational commerce
Technology: A video template with name and date, the sunset time computed in the browser (SunCalc), email, WhatsApp or Viber deep-linking into the booking engine.
Why it works: Past guests are the cheapest direct bookings. In Greek hotels, only 8.7% of room nights are booked in real time through the hotel's own website (HOTREC 2026).
What to expect (honestly): 40–70% open-to-watch; +2–6 percentage points in direct rebookings. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Estate agents and property Sv Hl

Sunlight Time Machine

Every listing gets a 3D model with the real path of the sun. Buyers drag the hour and the month and read: ‘Sun in the living room: Dec 3h 40m · Jul 9h 10m’.

Playable now Complexity 4/5 Production cost €€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Sv Self-visualisation + Hl Hyper-local at scale
Technology: three.js, SunCalc, the property's coordinates and orientation, an ‘email me the light at 19:00 on 15 August’ form.
Why it works: Photos can't prove light and view, the two things remote buyers pay for.
What to expect (honestly): Listing dwell time 3–5× a photo gallery; +15–40% inquiries from buyers abroad. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Car dealers and workshops Sn Wr

Hear That?

A reel with five car noises in 15 seconds. On the site, a tool records your car's noise, on your device, and finds the closest of 12 reference noises.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€ Sound is analysed on your device only. Nothing is uploaded.

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Sn Sensor magic + Wr Data mirror
Technology: Web Audio, an on-device spectrogram, 12 reference noises recorded by the workshop's own mechanics.
Why it works: It turns uncertainty into relief, and usefulness breeds reciprocity. A first clue, not a diagnosis.
What to expect (honestly): 3–8% of completions book. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Olive oil and agri-food Ch Wx Av

The Tree That Texts

Customers abroad adopt an olive tree in Crete. Every week their tree writes to them: ‘34 °C today. Had a little to drink overnight. My olives are filling out.’

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Ch Conversational commerce + Wx Condition trigger + Av Personal message
Technology: Sensor and weather data, template replies built only from real data, WhatsApp, Viber or email. Disclosed as an AI persona.
Why it works: We like what has a face (Aggarwal & McGill 2007), and we value what feels like ours.
What to expect (honestly): Subscription churn 20–40% below a plain olive-oil subscription; a Q4 gifting spike. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Accounting and law firms Ix Wr Ge

e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes

Ten questions, a readiness score and a personal PDF plan with the deadlines. The accounting firm sends it to its clients and learns who needs help.

Playable now Complexity 1/5 Production cost €–€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Ix Interactive inbox + Wr Data mirror + Ge Be the AI's answer
Technology: A scored questionnaire, a personal PDF, an interactive email, CRM. The deadline date is a setting, not hard-coded copy.
Why it works: Deadline anxiety meets instant clarity: ten questions, a score, a plan with dates. And the accounting firm learns which client needs help before picking up the phone.
What to expect (honestly): 15–30% of starters become leads; 10–20% of leads book a meeting. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Gyms Gm Sv Qr

Do 20 Squats

A camera in the gym window counts 20 squats and scores depth and form. Finish the set and a QR gets you a free week.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€ The image never leaves your device.

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Gm Snackable game + Sv Self-visualisation + Qr Code as content
Technology: On-device pose detection (MediaPipe), a rep counter, a QR, a neighbourhood leaderboard.
Why it works: A reward you earn feels like yours. Real-time AI feedback feels new, and friends film friends.
What to expect (honestly): 15–30% of claimers redeem the week; 15–30% of those become members. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Tutoring schools Dm

Find the Mistake

A teacher races through a national-exam problem. One line holds a deliberate mistake. The first 20 to spot it win a seat at a mock exam.

Playable now Complexity 1/5 Production cost €

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Dm Deliberate mistake
Technology: An interactive whiteboard, a 30-second timer, an explanation and a leaderboard, one reel a week per subject.
Why it works: Spotting an error is learning (productive failure, Kapur 2008), and ‘I found it’ feels good.
What to expect (honestly): Watch time 2–3×; 50–200 mock-exam sign-ups per season. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Salons and beauty Sv Qr

Shade Mirror

A QR in the salon window opens a hair-colour try-on in the browser, using the salon's real colour formulas. Pick a shade, book the stylist who does it.

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€€ The image never leaves your device.

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Sv Self-visualisation + Qr Code as content
Technology: On-device hair segmentation (MediaPipe), a luminance-preserving WebGL shader, 6 shades, a photo to try it on if you'd rather not use the camera.
Why it works: Spark AR closed on 14 January 2025, so AR now lives on your own domain. Self-visualisation removes the fear of the wrong colour.
What to expect (honestly): 2–6% of try-ons become bookings. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Yacht charters and marine tourism Wx Lv Ut

Wind Window

When forecasts open a ‘perfect window’ in the next 7–14 days, the ads switch on by themselves. On bad days the company says it publicly: ‘Don't come today.’

Playable now Complexity 3/5 Production cost €€€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Wx Condition trigger + Lv Live event + Ut Ugly truth
Technology: Licensed marine forecasts, fleet availability, dynamic creatives, a wind field drawn in Canvas.
Why it works: Media that switch on with the conditions, and honesty as a trust signal: fewer seasick guests, better reviews.
What to expect (honestly): Last-minute occupancy +3–8 points; triggered-creative CTR +30–100%; review rating +0.1–0.3 stars over a season. Typical range · Netex estimate

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Pharmacies Wx Ch

Pollen Radar

When local pollen crosses the threshold, ads switch on within 3–5 km, the window screen reads ‘High olive pollen today. Ask your pharmacist’ and a Viber message goes out. No pollen, no spend.

Playable now Complexity 2/5 Production cost €€

MechanismTechnologyWhy it worksWhat to expect (honestly)

Mechanism: Wx Condition trigger + Ch Conversational commerce
Technology: Licensed pollen and air-quality data, geo-targeted campaigns, a window screen, Viber, a Google Business Profile post.
Why it works: A Greek precedent: Haleon's weather-triggered campaign drove clicks at 3.37× plan (vendor data). With ≈101 pharmacies per 100,000 people (ABDA), the one that speaks at the right moment wins the street.
What to expect (honestly): CTR +50–200% vs always-on; peak-day footfall +5–15%. Typical range · Netex estimate

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€ under €2,000 · €€ €2,000–6,000 · €€€ €6,000–15,000 · €€€€ €15,000–40,000 · €€€€€ over €40,000, media excluded

Idea cards

12 more sectors. 12 more hidden frames.

They aren't playable yet. These are mechanisms designed for sectors we haven't built a demo for: from the corner bakery to the overnight ferry. If yours is here, the demo can be built on your own data.

Football clubs · Lv · Ch · Qr Goal Rush Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

Every goal the club scores starts a ten-minute countdown in every partner bar in town. Fans scan the table QR for the free meze, and the club finally learns who they are.

Mechanism
Lv Live event + Ch Conversational commerce + Qr Code as content

Technology
A football data API, automation, ready-made Story templates with the score, a Viber bot, a micro-page behind each table QR.

Why it works
The live moment makes the offer timely. The big brands did it on digital screens (McDonald's Switzerland, EURO 2024); here a club does it with almost no media spend.

What to expect (honestly)
+10–25% covers on match nights after 4–6 matches; a Viber community of 100–500 fans per season at each partner venue. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a same-mechanism scenario for bars (Lv · Ch · Qr)

Link to AI
The Viber bot and the automation are the same work as our AI Front Desk.

Guardrail
Rewards in food, not shots. Club marks and match-data rights are checked before launch.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Wineries · Pk · Wr · Av The Two-Code Bottle Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

The wine e-label code isn't allowed to sell or to track. A second code on the neck shows the vineyard on a map, the weather the wine grew up in, and the winemaker speaking your language.

Mechanism
Pk Packaging as media + Wr Data mirror + Av Personal message

Technology
An NFC tag or second QR (GS1 Digital Link), a page per batch, historical weather data, a producer video, subscriptions.

Why it works
Provenance is the premium, and the packaging becomes your own channel. Barbadillo's NFC tags drove 54% of brand engagement (vendor data, older).

What to expect (honestly)
1–5% of bottles scanned, more on gift packs; 0.5–2% of scanners adopt a vine row. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
the Two-Code Bottle scenario (Netex research)

Link to AI
Batch data comes from the ERP; connecting it is a Custom software & ERP job.

Guardrail
The e-label page stays clean: no marketing and no tracking, as EU wine rules require (Regulation (EU) 2021/2117). An AI-dubbed producer voice only with written consent and a label.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Logistics and 3PL · Pk · Lv · Wr Pallet Passport Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

Every pallet leaves with a QR that shows its own journey: when it was loaded, the temperature it travelled at, who signed for it. The customer stops asking ‘where is it?’ and starts showing it to their own customer.

Mechanism
Pk Packaging as media + Lv Live event + Wr Data mirror

Technology
A WMS or TMS export, GS1 Digital Link, temperature loggers, proof-of-delivery photos, a page with no app to install.

Why it works
Compliance becomes proof of quality. Operational transparency builds trust (Buell, Kim & Tsay 2017).

What to expect (honestly)
+5–15% tender win rate where transparency is scored; fewer disputes over damage and delays. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
the Pallet Passport scenario for manufacturers

Link to AI
The AI in our back-office automation already reads CMRs and delivery notes.

Guardrail
We show only what the customer has approved. Drivers appear by name or photo only with consent.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Events and festivals · Cr · Gm · Ch The Blurred Line-up Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

The festival poster comes out blurred. Every 250 tickets, one name comes into focus for everyone, and the crowd guesses in the comments who's behind the next one.

Mechanism
Cr Collective goal + Gm Snackable game + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
A live counter from the ticketing system, a poster that sharpens step by step, a Viber alert at every reveal, a guessing poll.

Why it works
Effort rises as the goal gets closer (Kivetz et al. 2006), and a name you can't read is a curiosity gap. Duolingo's ‘Death of Duo’ showed the pull of a shared meter (≈169,000 mentions, vendor data).

What to expect (honestly)
Viber and email sign-ups 2–4× a normal promo week; tickets per day measured against last year's curve. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a live price-drop scenario (scarcity and a live counter)

Link to AI
The live counter and alerts are automation on top of your own data.

Guardrail
Every act is signed before the campaign. If sales lag, names are revealed on a fixed date announced at the start.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Bakeries and patisseries · Lw · Lv · Ch Just Out Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

A sensor on the oven door messages the neighbourhood the moment a batch comes out: ‘Sesame rings, 3 minutes ago.’ Your site and Google profile show how warm the bread is, not just your opening hours.

Mechanism
Lw Living window + Lv Live event + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
A door or temperature sensor, or a single button for the baker, automation, a Viber channel, a live status on the site and the Google profile.

Why it works
Visible effort raises perceived value (Buell & Norton 2011). In a bakery, freshness is the product.

What to expect (honestly)
A Viber channel of 100–500 neighbours per season; sales per batch measured in the first 30 minutes. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
the local Viber community estimate from a hospitality scenario

Link to AI
The sensor that marks a batch can also meter the oven's energy use. Industrial thinking at neighbourhood scale.

Guardrail
The counter resets only on a real batch. A daily message cap, opt-in only.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Ferries and travel · Lv · Cm · Ch Sunrise on Deck Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

On the overnight ferry, passengers who asked for it get a message 15 minutes before sunrise: ‘Port side, 06:12.’ The end of the trip becomes its best moment, and its most photographed.

Mechanism
Lv Live event + Cm Built for the camera + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
Live ship position from a licensed AIS feed, sunrise and sunset maths (SunCalc), opt-in at booking, a Viber or WhatsApp message, a photo wall on the site.

Why it works
We remember experiences by their peak and their end (the peak-end rule, Kahneman et al. 1993). Here the end becomes the peak.

What to expect (honestly)
10–20% of booked passengers opt in to the message; posts with the route hashtag tracked. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
the QR-to-opt-in rate from a similar funnel

Link to AI
The multilingual messages and replies are AI Front Desk work.

Guardrail
Opt-in only, one morning message, nothing else overnight. Never a nudge towards restricted areas; crew instructions come first.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Insurance agencies · Wx · Ch · Ut Before the Hail Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

When the forecast shows hail for an area, the agency sends its clients one practical note: where to park, and when. Anyone who asks gets a four-question check that says honestly what their policy doesn't cover.

Mechanism
Wx Condition trigger + Ch Conversational commerce + Ut Ugly truth

Technology
Licensed weather alerts by postcode, client segments in the CRM, Viber messages, a four-question coverage check.

Why it works
Help before the sale creates reciprocity, and saying what isn't covered makes everything else believable (Aronson et al. 1966).

What to expect (honestly)
CTR +50–200% vs always-on, with zero spend when there's no forecast. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a condition-trigger scenario (Pollen Radar)

Link to AI
After the storm, the same assistant opens the claim with photos: AI Front Desk work.

Guardrail
Never imitate an official emergency alert or 112. Every sales message is checked against insurance-distribution rules. No scare tactics.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Municipalities and tourism boards · Qr · Gm · Hl Twelve Secrets of the Old Town Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

Twelve small QR plaques in spots visitors walk straight past, each with a 40-second story in a resident's voice. Every scan stamps a digital passport, and the route runs down streets whose shops need the footfall.

Mechanism
Qr Code as content + Gm Snackable game + Hl Hyper-local at scale

Technology
Weatherproof QR plaques, a digital passport with no app, residents' recordings made with consent, transcripts, partner-shop codes.

Why it works
An unfinished set nags at us, and seek games hold minutes: Cadbury Worldwide Hide averaged ≈5 minutes (self-reported).

What to expect (honestly)
3–6 minutes per story stop; stamps per visitor and footfall off the main route tracked. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a seek scenario (Key in the Sand)

Link to AI
A multilingual visitor assistant answers from the same stories: AI Front Desk for public bodies.

Guardrail
No location tracking: a stamp needs a scan. Step-free routes marked, audio with transcripts. Public-procurement rules checked.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Bookshops · Dm · Gm · Ch The Fake First Line Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

Every Thursday the bookseller reads five opening lines in a reel. One of them is the shop's own invention; spot it, send a DM and get a code for one of the four real books.

Mechanism
Dm Deliberate mistake + Gm Snackable game + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
A reel series, user-initiated DM keyword automation, rotating codes, a tally at the till.

Why it works
‘I caught it’ feels good (Aronson et al. 1966), every guess is a comment, and the next-day answer becomes a ritual. With one deliberate mistake, Specsavers lifted calls 19% above forecast (self-reported).

What to expect (honestly)
Watch time 2–3× the account average; codes redeemed at the till tracked. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a deliberate-mistake scenario (Find the Mistake)

Link to AI
The automated DM runs on the same plumbing as an AI Front Desk on Instagram.

Guardrail
Only the first sentence of each book, credited with title and author. Never ‘tag to enter’. The answer is published the next day.

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Coworking spaces · Ac · Lw · Cm Pay With a Skill Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

The day pass isn't paid in euros. It's paid in 20 minutes: you teach the members something you know over lunch, and every mini-class becomes a video that brings in the next guest.

Mechanism
Ac Alternative currency + Lw Living window + Cm Built for the camera

Technology
A booking page with a ‘skills menu’, a calendar, filming consent, a short-video template, a members' Viber community.

Why it works
Change the currency and the price becomes the story (Thaler 1985). IKEA's ‘Buy With Your Time’ tried it with travel time (no published results).

What to expect (honestly)
15–30% of skill-payers become members. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
an earned-pass-to-membership scenario

Link to AI
Booking, reminders and the community run on automation.

Guardrail
Filming is optional. The public board shows first name and topic only, with consent. The tax treatment of the swap is checked with an accountant.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Driving schools · Gm · Dm · Ch Spot the Violation Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

A drawn crossroads seen from above, three violations hidden in it, 30 seconds on the clock. Find all three and win a practice lesson; miss one and learn exactly which would have cost you the test.

Mechanism
Gm Snackable game + Dm Deliberate mistake + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
A deep-zoom crossroads illustration, a violation map, a 30-second timer, an explanation per violation, an automated DM for the lesson.

Why it works
A skill challenge holds attention, and spotting errors is learning (Kapur 2008). Whoever misses one violation remembers that one exactly.

What to expect (honestly)
Watch time 2–3×; 50–200 practice-lesson sign-ups per season. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a deliberate-mistake scenario for education

Link to AI
The same spot-it engine powers ‘Human vs Vision AI’, our Industrial AI game.

Guardrail
Never stage violations on a real road: an illustration or a closed lot with permission. It doesn't replace official test material. Consent rules apply to minors.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production
Supermarkets and grocers · Lv · Ut · Ch The Melting Price Idea card · not playable yetIdea card

At 19:30, fresh food that expires tomorrow goes on a live page, and its price drops a little every 10 minutes until closing. Next to it, an honest number: how many kilos the shop would throw away without you.

Mechanism
Lv Live event + Ut Ugly truth + Ch Conversational commerce

Technology
A near-date product export from the POS or ERP, a server-side price clock, a live page, a Viber channel, click-and-collect holds.

Why it works
Waiting gets a lower price but risks the last one going: loss against gain (Kahneman & Tversky 1979). And an honest waste figure persuades more than a slogan.

What to expect (honestly)
The day's batch sells through in 30–90 minutes; Viber sign-ups 2–4× a normal promo week. Typical range · Netex estimate

Estimate based on
a live price-drop scenario (The Melting Price, e-shop)

Link to AI
The best fix is not needing it: demand forecasting cuts the waste before it reaches the shelf. That's Data & decisions work.

Guardrail
An end-of-day price, not ‘X% off’: checked against the prior-price rule (Directive 2019/2161). In-date products only. No fake scarcity.

I want this for my sector Mechanism Sprint from €1,500 + production

Small football ground at night: goal net in the foreground, floodlights in the mist and a few fans on the concrete stand.

Unlabelled wine bottle with two blank paper tags tied to its neck, on a barrel in a stone-vaulted cellar.

Stretch-wrapped pallet of boxes with an empty label pouch in a port warehouse, with a crane, containers and a mountain beyond.

Empty open-air summer cinema at dusk with white folding chairs, bougainvillea, a string of bulbs and a blank screen.

Overhead view of two trays of fresh sesame bread rings on a steel bakery bench, the baker's hand lifting one out and leaving a gap.

Car ferry at Heraklion port at dawn, its stern ramp lowering while two workers in hi-vis vests wait on the quay.

Old step-through scooter parked against a plastered wall in a narrow street after rain, reflected in a puddle.

Venetian lighthouse at the end of a breakwater at blue hour, its lamp lit above calm water mirroring the sky.

Small bookshop window at dusk with lit shelves of books, a leather armchair and a bicycle reflected in the glass.

Shared workspace in a restored stone building, sunlight from an arched window and two people working at a wooden table.

A provincial-town crossroads from above in the early morning: a driving-school car slightly over the stop line, a small car parked on the zebra crossing and a scooter rider without a helmet at the corner, with tiled roofs around.

A neighbourhood supermarket's nearly empty chilled shelves at 19:30: a few tubs, loaves and fruit, blank paper price tags and a blurred wall clock at half past seven, with blue dusk in the window.

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Lab report

Which demo held people longest?

Lab reportnetex.gr

Every month we publish what visitors played, how long each one held them and what we learned. Real numbers from this site, not estimates.

The first report goes up a month after launch.

Campaign library

What worked, where, and who says so.

Real campaigns, sorted by mechanism. Where a figure comes from the brand or its agency, we say so. We show them as proof that a mechanism can work, not as a forecast for you.

Mechanism

Campaign	Year	Mechanism	What happened	Result	Source
KFC ‘Buffalo Snacker’	2006	Ht	A code in a single frame of a TV spot.	70,000+ coupon requests.	press NPR, 2006
O2 ‘Instastories pause game’	—	Ht	Pause a Story at the right moment to reveal a code that wins a phone.	46% watch-through vs a 27% benchmark.	self-reported triad.sk (opens in a new tab)
Heinz ‘Slow This Ad’	2023	Ht	A 0.57-second spot that reveals a code only in slow motion.	40M impressions, 2× benchmark CTR, +164% heinz.com traffic.	award entry www.lovethework.com (opens in a new tab)
Coinbase ‘Bouncing QR’	2022	Qr	A 60-second Super Bowl ad showing only a bouncing QR code.	20M+ visits in one minute; the site went down.	self-reported decrypt.co (opens in a new tab)
Cadbury ‘Worldwide Hide’	2021–23	Gm	Hide an egg on Street View for someone you love, with a clue.	≈5 minutes average time, 2.26M visits.	self-reported mapsplatform.google.com (opens in a new tab)
Frontify ‘Spot the Brand’ (B2B)	2024	Gm	A hidden-object game: 50 logos in an illustrated city, in 5 minutes.	40,000+ plays, +96% leads in two weeks.	self-reported econsultancy.com (opens in a new tab)
Specsavers ‘The Misheard Version’	2023	Dm	A famous song with deliberately misheard lyrics.	+19% call volume vs forecast after one TV mention.	self-reported contagious.com (opens in a new tab)
Duolingo ‘Death of Duo’	2025	Cr	The mascot ‘dies’ and users revive it by earning XP in lessons.	≈169,000 mentions in two weeks.	vendor data www.meltwater.com (opens in a new tab)
Spotify Wrapped	2025	Wr	A user's year in music, as cards built for Stories.	≈200M users engaged within 24 hours.	self-reported www.musicbusinessworldwide.com (opens in a new tab)
Guinness Australia ‘Guinness Weather’	2023	Wx	Screens near pubs switch on below 7 °C, with a QR for a free pint.	+14.7% pub visits vs control.	award entry www.thedrum.com (opens in a new tab)
Haleon (Greece), weather-triggered campaign	—	Wx	Ads only on days when the weather favours allergies.	Clicks 3.37× plan, 2M unique users.	vendor data www.eskimi.com (opens in a new tab)
McDonald's Switzerland, EURO 2024	2024	Lv	Live scores on digital screens; the offer changed with the result.	No results published.	press www.apgsga.ch (opens in a new tab)
Visit Faroe Islands ‘Remote Tourism’	2020	Lv	Viewers steered a local with a camera, live.	≈700,000 visitors from 197 countries in six weeks.	self-reported nitravelnews.com (opens in a new tab)
Virgin Voyages ‘Jen AI’	2023	Av	A personalised cruise invite ‘from’ Jennifer Lopez to send to friends.	1,000+ bookings in roughly the first month.	self-reported www.cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
Burger King ‘Million Dollar Whopper’	2024	Cc	Users designed a burger and AI rendered it, jingle included.	3M burgers, 1.3M new app sign-ups.	agency-reported barkleyokrp.com (opens in a new tab)
Cadbury ‘#NotJustACadburyAd’	2021	Hl	AI-made ads that named the viewer's local shop.	Cannes Titanium Lion. Sources give different participation figures, so we don't quote them.	press www.wpp.com (opens in a new tab)
Barbadillo, NFC bottles	≈2017	Pk	NFC neck tags on 126,000 bottles.	54% of brand engagement in the period.	vendor data · older www.marketingdive.com (opens in a new tab)
Heineken ‘The Boring Phone’	2024	Ob	A deliberately ‘boring’ phone for nights without scrolling.	5,000 units, 70,000+ tried to get one.	self-reported www.marketingdive.com (opens in a new tab)
Graza, olive oil	2022	Cm	A ‘sizzle’ and ‘drizzle’ squeeze bottle designed for kitchen videos.	Reported figures differ between sources, so we don't quote them.	press www.klaviyo.com (opens in a new tab)
Maybelline, lashes on the Tube	2023	Fo	CGI lashes on a train and a bus passing under a mascara wand.	Tens of millions of views, and criticism for a weak brand link.	press www.creativebloq.com (opens in a new tab)
Apple TV+ ‘Severance’	2025	Lw	The cast ‘worked’ live inside a glass office at Grand Central.	No published numbers.	press appleinsider.com (opens in a new tab)
Styli, WhatsApp re-engagement	—	Ch	WhatsApp messages to customers who had stopped buying.	+67% conversion vs push, +50% vs email.	self-reported learn.rasayel.io (opens in a new tab)
Tally	2025–26	Ge	Years of community presence fed the AI answers.	43% of new users come via AI tools.	self-reported www.arr.club (opens in a new tab)
Burger King ‘Moldy Whopper’	2020	Ut	The burger rots on camera: proof it has no preservatives.	+14% sales, 8.4B impressions.	self-reported www.wpp.com (opens in a new tab)
IKEA ‘Buy With Your Time’	2020	Ac	Prices in travel time instead of money.	No published results; Titanium Lion shortlist.	press www.thedrum.com (opens in a new tab)

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Every sector has a hidden frame. Strategy Lab: playable marketing mechanisms, sector by sector.

24 mechanisms in six families.

Time The moment is the message.

Play The viewer becomes a player.

Self Everyone's favourite subject is themselves.

Object and place The physical becomes media.

Conversation and answers The answer at the moment of the question.

Trust Honesty as a mechanism.

What line of business are you in?

16 scenarios. Play first, read later.

Frame Hunt: Catch the Frame

The Heat Pays

Key in the Sand

Headphones Only

The Freddo Index

Human vs Vision AI

Postcard From Next Summer

Sunlight Time Machine

Hear That?

The Tree That Texts

e-Invoicing in 2 Minutes

Do 20 Squats

Find the Mistake

Shade Mirror

Wind Window

Pollen Radar

12 more sectors. 12 more hidden frames.

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What worked, where, and who says so.

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