Like a 21st century version of the choose-your-own-adventure books, interactive YouTube videos can up the engagement factor by letting the viewer decide the course of the action, or just play around with the content.
With Tippex seeing success with its A Hunter Shoots a Bear campaign, and Samsung and Rogers also testing the interactive video waters lately, we expect to see more creative campaigns from companies in 2011.
Meanwhile, we’ve found 10 top interactive YouTube experiences, from both businesses and individuals, that incorporate gameplay, quizzes and just plain old fashioned entertainment for your viewing pleasure.
So, prepare to engage with the gallery below and let us know your thoughts on this potentially exciting medium.
1. La Linea Interactive
A tribute to the popular Italian animated series
La Linea, this is a great use of the choose-your-own format from YouTube master Patrick Boivin.
2. The YouTube Electric Guitar
Wait for this vid to load all the way up, then click on different places in the timeline to play different chords. Just no “Stairway to Heaven,” y’hear?
3. The Treasure Hunt: A Chad, Matt & Rob Interactive Adventure!
Chad, Matt and Rob are masters of the interactive YouTube adventure genre. While their earlier work is also worth checking out, this is their latest effort, and it’s a doozie!
4. Ronald Has A Spider On His Head: An Interactive Mis-Adventure!
Very much an amateur effort, this nonetheless has a place in our heart as an early example of the format. Also, it’s LEGO!
5. Choose a Different Ending
Warning: The video above contains some violent imagery, and may not be appropriate for all ages or viewing in the workplace.
Created for the Drop the Weapons campaign, this realistic video seeks to educate kids about the consequences of making the wrong decisions. Remember kids, just as in life, you decide the ending.
6. YouTube Radio
This is as much fun to interact with as we’d imagine it was to write and record the music for all the different genres. Jazz is our fave, in case you were wondering.
7. Deliver Me to Hell
Warning: The video above contains some violent imagery, and may not be appropriate for all ages or viewing in the workplace.
We think it could be argued that zombies and pizza are pretty much the perfect combo for 20 minutes of YouTube fun. This fab promo for New Zealand pizza chain “Hell Pizzas” brings both. Can you deliver the pies across town without getting on the wrong side of the undead?
8. Howard Glitch
Anything that starts “you are trapped inside a spaceship that is headed for a fatal destination” has our attention right away. This Kickstarter-backed “point’n’click’n’escape” game brings some existential angst and quantum mechanics to the YouTube platform. Knowing that, how can you not click through?
9. Bboy vs Joker
More from the talented Patrick Boivin here with the brilliant concept of a break dancing duel between The Joker and Batman. How does Boivin come up with this stuff?
10. Who Wants to be a YouTubillionaire?
If you can stand Dan Brown’s off-the-charts perkiness, then this interactive faux game show is incredibly well put together — it even includes “phone a friend” side narratives.
More Video Resources from Mashable:
– 10 Captivating Time-Lapse Design Videos
– 10 Excellent Examples of Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns [VIDEOS]
– 10 Stories Beautifully Told with Animated Typography [VIDEOS]
– 10 Incredibly Inspirational Moments on YouTube [VIDEOS]
– 10 Super Social Media Songs [VIDEOS]
More About: advertising, interactive videos, List, Lists, online advertising, video, videos, youtube
