Lost In Translation

Last night a DJ tried to save my life

What?: The White Island is an Alternate Reality Game (ARG), which is being billed as the ‘rave version of Lost’. The interactive game asks players to help solve the mystery behind a series of events that could “threaten the very soul of Ibiza”. The game centres around the disappearance of a USB stick containing the only copy of new tracks by DJ Pete Tong and a missing aspiring DJ called Elisabeth Perl. Elisabeth’s blog features a video that suggests she has been abducted.

The campaign extends across a variety of sites, including images and videos on Australian DJ Sarah Main’s social networking pages and a site connected with Emma’s job at the Society For The Protection Of Ibiza.

One player can win a CDJ400 CD deck if they are the first to recover Pete Tong’s tunes before the launch of his new night, Wonderland.

So what?: ARGs are underused in music (and something we’d like to see more of), but this campaign – a piecemeal of various TV/film elements (Heroes, Lost, Cloverfield) – feels more confusing than engaging. Despite good intentions, this is ultimately let down by its somewhat frivolous subject nature. My favourite part is the fact that Pete Tong clearly values his latest tunes above all human life – a prize is being offered for return of the USB, but not for info regarding the whereabouts of Elisabeth.

“An alternate reality game that needs to explain that it is an alternate reality game on the front page of the website is rather missing the point. We love ARGs – but this is a naive attempt to dress up a bit of Pioneer comms in a story that lacks any of the mystery or intrigue that makes these experiences work.”
Jack Horner, Creative Director, FRUKT

www.thewhiteisland.com