Mazda Canada is supporting the launch of its 2010 Mazda 3 through an alternate reality game that sends Quebecers on a search for 33 keys and the chance to win a new car.

Players are asked to save the fictional female character Xira, and mankind, from a futuristic organization known as La Croix Verte, in exchange for one of 33 key cases hidden across the province.

La Croix Verte is determined to create a uniform society and to take the joy out of everyday life, explained Dave Carey, senior vice-president, account director at Doner Canada, the agency behind the effort.

The players are charged with bringing joy back into Xira’s life, which comes in the form of the Mazda 3, by deciphering codes and participating in various real-life challenges, which lead players to a key case.

For example, one online clue asks gamers to figure out a code which gives the player longitude and latitude coordinates. Those coordinates can then be entered into Google maps to pinpoint the area where a key case can be found.

The case holders will gather May 18 in Montreal, where they will be given a real key to try and unlock The Essence—a custom-designed 2010 Mazda3. Participants can gather clues and learn about challenges through Astral Media’s television, radio, online and out-of-home properties.

Every night this week, a TV spot—referred to as a “zapper trapper” because it will air simultaneously across Astral’s eight television networks—will drive viewers to Reperio.ca, where they can track the game. Doner also handled the media buy, and 1976 Productions assisted with campaign production.

In addition, Mazda has enlisted the help of Quebec-based media personalities Marie-Claude Perron of Musique Plus and blogger Dominic Arpin.

Launching in Quebec, which accounted for 43% of Mazda sales in Canada last year, allowed the car company to “own the market,” said Carey.

“We could launch the car in a really cool way, by using all elements of media there,” he said, adding the campaign targets tech-savvy, socially engaged, early adopters within the 20- to 34-year-old demographic.

“The consumer that buys the Mazda3 is into gaming, they’re into high technology, they’re into entertainment and they really like to be entertained with all types of advertising,” he said. “We thought this [campaign] was the best form to do it—something that involved all touch points so they could immerse themselves in the game.”