NerveMedia

Freemium apps make the free version worse on purpose, and most users never pay. I wanted to see if the ad could be the trade instead of the interruption. In NerveMedia, a music app, finishing one interactive ad unlocks 4 hours of premium. I designed four ad formats, including karaoke and a brand puzzle. Users pick their path at signup, so nobody feels tricked into ads later.

I designed it for young music fans on a budget. They weren't going to pay for another subscription, but they'd trade attention for value if the exchange felt fair. I did the research, the structure, the interaction design, and the prototype myself.

Each ad format asks you to do something. In karaoke you sing along to a brand jingle. In the puzzle you put together a brand image. The video quiz plays an ad and then asks you questions, and the mad lib turns words you say into a brand audio spot.

Interactive ads need a connection, so for the subway or a plane, free users can buy tokens, each good for 1 hour of premium. Finished ads also show up in a friends feed, next to what people are listening to.