Opening the World's Biggest Can of Worms
Danger from Beyond the Stars
When Adult Swim came to us with a concept for a truly global experiential activation warning the planet of an impending alien invasion known as Wormageddon, we immediately mobilized…
We were prepared to defend our planet against these insipid space-faring invertebrates. This was to be a truly global can of worms, and Adult Swim gave us the can opener.
With over-sized sculptures and art installations illustrating the story of Wormageddon secretly placed in locations on every continent, we set about crafting the clues to victory in Wormageddon.
That victory lay in a series of Golden Rick Heads that one could only receive by solving a riddle necessary to reveal the locations of these 14 heads, then physically going out there to find the site-specific art installation.
A Planet–Sized Challenge
We knew this would be an incredible opportunity to bring the Rick and Morty universe off the screen and into real life, and that if executed correctly, could serve as a rally for thousands of fans to go on a real-life treasure hunt, with the fate of our planet at risk. Come on, it’s Rick and Morty, obviously the stakes are going to be high.
We set about crafting the clues to victory in Wormageddon. That victory lay in a series of Golden Rick Heads that one could only receive by solving a riddle necessary to reveal the locations of these 14 heads, then physically going out around the world to find them.
The Prime Objective
Starting with one single clue on Day 1, the web of Wormageddon spread every twenty-four hours from continent to continent, necessitating the creation of a whopping 72 total clues to guide curious fans to accurate coordinates.
That was our mission.
The Core Components
Glitched-Out Character Portraits
The Wormageddon campaign leaned heavily on 80's sci-fi influences: sparking neon glitches, Cold War-era ICBM maps of the globe, and glowing green terminals full of shifting text.
Adult Swim was into it. We had liftoff.
In-House Audio
Decoding
Text Effects
Sci-Fi Motion Graphics
Kickoff Carousel
We set off the chain of events with a carousel of logistics and instructions on what was to come next. The framework was in place, but fans had no idea what was about to drop.
Cross Promos
We created two cross promotional posts to be translated to different languages on platforms around the world, guiding fans to the scavenger hunt clues on the Rick and Morty Instagram handle.
The Web of Clues
Once fans were primed for a treasure hunt, it was time to start dropping clues. We created dozens of unique teasers with the utmost precision. If we failed, real humans would be climbing volcanos in totally wrong countries. However, all seventy-two were immaculate and were then blown out to other platforms, driving our total asset count over 200.
Fan Reactions
Quick-minded and fleet-footed fans claim their gold after being the first to the fourteen secret locations, all the way from Old Trafford stadium in Manchester to the arcades of Manila.
The Final Tally
Once all the clues had been pored-over, every trail had been blazed, and each Golden Rick Head had been lifted to sky in victory, the numbers became clear: Wormageddon was a success, having spread far and wide, giving fans around the world an experience they'll never forget.
33.6 Million+
views across all platforms
engagements worldwide
4 Million+
This is the End
Finally, with the evil space-worms’ nefarious plans lying in ruins, we were left to pick up the pieces together, united as a single human race to rebuild our planet and prepare for an even more imminent arrival… Season 6.
