Why Create Content With Easter Eggs?

No, this is not an actual Easter-themed blog post when we are less than two weeks from Halloween.

The Easter eggs to which I am referring are the hidden surprises or covert messages often planted in video games, television shows, and – more recently – social media posts. By way of example, the recent animated Super Mario Bros. movie stood on its own outside of the original game(s) and the underrated 1993 film of the same name. However, pop culture detectives found no less than a dozen subtle homages to the original game and 1980s Nintendo within the film. The result? Added exposure like this, not to mention message boards, social media pages, and nighttime talk show hosts going on about them for months after the film’s release.

Fall of the House of Usher, out now on Netflix, is having similar success by virtue of having Easter eggs from nearly all of Edgar Allan Poe’s works hidden in the series. While named for the short story of a doomed sister and brother, the limited series draws on several of Poe’s musings, allowing for endless discussion in popular culture, and continued viewing despite being in the binge-and-move-on era of television.

Oh, and then there is Taylor Swift, who does it with ease.

So, how does the apply to marketing for a less-Hollywood brand?

It can be especially effective in building excitement toward big news or a major launch.  Use Easter eggs to hint at the announcement with brand loyalists and followers, creating a groundswell of interest and several angles for earned media. Words to the wise: make them fun and keep the end-user in mind. And make them shareable on all platforms.

Need help upgrading your digital platforms and developing Easter egg-filled content? We can help build a team to do that. Click here.