Whether advertising a concept car, creating interactive videos for students, displaying a 360 degree view of a formula one racing car or getting audiences to 'heal' the bruises of a domestic violence victim, interactive videos, games and experiences can achieve so much more than the linear multimedia we're accustomed to.Interactive media can take various forms depending on audience, message and overall purpose of the piece. Here are a handful of categories with some interesting examples.ExploratoryAs an introduction, I'd like to draw your attention to 'Maze War'. It was released in the mid 70's, a rudimentary game (to today's standards) that rendered a 3D maze structure for the player to navigate. Viewing from a first person perspective with the ability to travel forward, backwards and left to right in 90˚ segments. The screen was split in half, the other providing you with a birdseye view of your location in the Maze. The aim (if against another player) was to survive and make it to the end. This is perhaps the first example of an exploratory interactive game.Yes, this is what games used to look likeThe idea of exploring an environment has developed into some of the incredible experiences you're about to see. Augmenting reality or contorting it, enveloping the user in something they'd otherwise never have known or imagined before is quite a jump from cartridge loading Mario or Zelda on the SNES. Granted, those environments were always inspiring.A step into the surreal with A Way To Go. Created by the master Vincent Morisset and his team at AATOAA, the user drops the mouse and connects with the keyboard. Exploring a vast range of environments, such as forests, mountains, deserts, all bathed in a warm, colourful glowing overlay - you are free to fly, run, walk and jump away on a journey that can last for as long as your fingers can move.One thing's for certain, immersing your audience - almost literally in this case - can be incredibly persuasive. Those of you with Aquaphobia, please don't watch this one, it is quite literally a drowning simulator designed to raise awareness of the horrific fate that awaits those who don't put on a life jacket at sea.At sea, you tire faster than you think.Whenever you go out to sea, wear your life jacket.First person perspective.. drowning.Virtual CommerceBrands are becoming increasingly experimental in their bid to get you to part with your cash with some very intriguing outcomes...Spot the difference! This video from ASOS combines a lively music track with 5 different video options, each representing a different colour palette to switch between. It's a shame there wasn't an option to improve the mood of the models..Change the coloursMusic, coathangers, copious outfit changes and above all, laundry and clothing care tips.. this 'Single-Ladies' inspired video is quite a unique way of advertising a cleaning product.If only changing clothes was this fast.CustomisablePhotoshop fans? Interfere with the familiar toolbar options to alter Tan Line's Not the Same track into an audiovisual mess.Drag, drop, change sizes..Proven to increase user awareness and engagementThe medium has increased in popularity and ingenuity rapidly in the last 10 years, users are accessing digital content far more frequently and advertisers are realising the power that brands can have when enabling audience interaction.Mondelēz International, a food and confectionary conglomerate in the States saw an 88% rise in user engagement when they turned their video adverts into full-blow e-commerce enabled experiences during the Women's World Cup.We're accessing information and media on many devices, this has led to a boom in the creation of new markets and challenges for advertisers, especially in interactive experiences and advertising - as you've already seen.Interactive videos are becoming evermore elaborate and sophisticated, but good old Hypervideos are still one of the most popular and flourishing formats.Here's a great example of simple user interaction with the screen itself, rather aptly named Golden Touch by Namie Amuro, crafted by the very talented PARTY NY creative lab.Get the screen-cleaner out.Increasingly accessibleThe process of creating interactive videos and experiences is becoming easier, various online services such as Wirewax and Rapt give users the chance to explore the possibilities without needing a University degree in interactive media.In education for example, video is adept at retaining the otherwise short attention span of children, it makes their static content come alive, educators can update and edit with ease as curriculum and learning levels change.Education has some great opportunities with interactive video, there are a handful of well designed products available, although some of these interfaces are a little complicated for my liking, but services like Zaption provide a heap of tools to create interactive videos based on the content of a lesson plan.Participation is facilitated, students can take tests as they progress which can be reviewed at the end. Direct access to educational resources and further reading is easily included within the content and of course the learners can feedback at any point.Some other interesting examplesWith users leaning forwards rather than back, I'd like to show some of my favourite examples of Interactive Video experiences.Using 3D canvas rendering, interactive flocking and one fantastic soundtrack, this HTML5 collaborative Chrome Experiment interprets Arcade Fire's song 'We Used To Wait' into this interactive wonderland. Not only do Arcade Fire have a talent for creating award winning music, but they aren't shy of pushing the boundaries with technology.Tabs upon tabs upon tabs. Tabception..I couldn't resist sharing this one too. Another entry from Arcade Fire, possibly the first interactive music video we've seen.Puppet-style control over Mr ButlerThree feeds: animated, live action and headbanging. Together, they provide alternate viewing options for this rather fun Jack White track.It's tempting to use only the illustrative routeChange Andy's future in Keep Your Head Up! Prompted by pop-ups, select his clothing for the next scene; whether or not he ends up in a bin or if he bumps into someone."Leave him in a bin" wasn't an optionExplore the scenes and read the reports of the riots on The Cronulla Beach, Sydney, Australia in 2005 when two racial groups clashed over a culmination of social incidents. An in depth look into the history and causes of the 'Day that shocked the Australian nation'.Some genuinly disturbing scenes of human brutalitySeven Digital Deadly Sins, absolve or condemn celebrity comedians and artists as they confess some of their less amusing digital behaviours.I think we can all find similarities in our behavioursA transmedia documentary, Episodes of Love and Hate by Anoek Steketee and Eefje Blankevoort that discusses and explores the topic of reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. An incredibly touching and eye-opening look into a time in Rwanda's history that witnessed close to a million innocent people lose their lives.A simple interface is used to switch between chaptersExploring the threat we cannot see. "Cyber attacks, silent, devastating and you never know who's on the other side, never know who is in control". A high-quality production that left me with that 'who's looking over my shoulder' feeling...Meet your guide, he's rather sinister.We've come along way old friend.
