The lack of attention consumers pay to advertising has presented itself as a challenge to corporations for decades. Interested in finding if there were any possible solutions to this ever present issue, Rovio Entertainment challenged the student team from Aalto University, Hasso Plattner Institute, and the Kyoto Institute of Technology to design a new advertising format for digital entertainment that was organic, seamless, and engaging to the consumer. 

After doing research on potential consumers, the student team came to the conclusion that storytelling was a powerful way to get any message across. Using this abstract realization, the team commenced rapid prototyping on advertising with a focus on stories, whether it be stories of consumers, corporations, collaborators, or sponsors. All of this prototyping culminated in the teams final solution: Pulse.

Pulse is an app that allows users and people within their social circle to connect by co-creating events together. By simply sharing a picture, users can create an event and add a sponsor who rewards them for the experience. On the Pulse interface, there are two types of events that show up on the Heatmap: Spontaneous Events and Organized Events.

Spontaneous Events are initiated once three or more people take a picture and choose a sponsor in the same area. Organized Events are initiated by brands - they show up once a brand organizes or sponsors an event, and creates smart content that can be utilized by users during their participation of the event. Through connectivity and the sharing of stories, Pulse bridges the gap between user and brand, allowing for both sides to gain from a fun and engaging time.