Terminator: Dark Fate
Rich Media Ad
I created this interactive ad experience while working at the NY-based advertising company, AdTheorent. The concept was greenlit by Paramount, and the unit was built by AdTheorent. It went on to have a highly successful run in the US and Canada with high user engagement.
Banner
Banner
Animation 1
Animation 1
Title Card
Title Card
Animation 2
Animation 2
Video Trailer
Video Trailer
Brief
Paramount Pictures requested a proposal for a mobile ad announcing the upcoming release of Terminator: Dark Fate. Key performance indicators were awareness and engagement. The concept needed to excite the user while showcasing elements of the Terminator franchise. The challenge was that no assets were available except for a poster and trailer. 
The original Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) poster provided by Paramount Pictures.
Research
The poster shows the protagonist approaching from a distance on a deserted road. With just this static image available, I brainstormed possible ways to enhance the experience with an interactive feature. One idea I had was to that let the user zoom in with a binocular effect, but that didn't feel right. As robotic soldiers from the future, Terminators don't need binoculars - they see the world through a red-tinted robotic overlay. This robotic viewpoint is an iconic element within the franchise, making it the ideal launching point for an engaging digital experience. 
Binocular framing device used in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).
Binocular framing device used in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).
The robotic red viewpoint from The Terminator (1984).
The robotic red viewpoint from The Terminator (1984).
Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984).
Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984).
Concept
I wanted to create an experience where the user views the ad from the perspective of a Terminator robot. What starts as a standard mobile display banner brings the user into the world of Terminator through three main states, tied together with animated transitions and homemade graphic elements.

The main purpose of this ad was to announce the movie's release date, spread awareness, and invite the user to engage.
Unit concept - 3 states of the experience (from left to right):

1. Unexpanded display banner
2. Main poster with release countdown
3. Movie trailer and ticket preorder call to action
Production
I broke the movie poster up into several isolated elements. This makes it possible for each element to be animated independently during the transitions, creating a more dynamic experience.
Isolated elements pulled from the movie poster (from left to right):

1. Foreground / Road
2. Protagonist
3. Background / Mountains
4. Sun
5. Sky