Alltel website takes interactive campaign into man cave

NEW YORK -- After being displaced for a time by images of the style-conscious metrosexual, more macho males seem to have regained a place in the world of marketing and media.

In June, cable's DIY Network premiered Man Caves, a five-episode show in which the hosts help guys convert a room into a male sanctuary, with putting greens and giant TVs. In February, Geico launched the Cavemans Crib website, where visitors can hang out, listen to music or read magazines.

Now, Alltel, the No. 5 wireless carrier, has created www.officialmancave.com, an interactive animated site. The site builds on Alltel's TV ads that portray its four biggest rivals as dorky "sales guys."

The T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and AT&T characters were introduced in cable ads last year. They were used to launch Alltel's "My Circle" plan, which lets customers call 10 selected friends on any network or land line for free.

The characters moved online this month and continue the quest to figure out the appeal of Alltel service and express their venom for its handsome, blond spokesman, "Chad."

"The sales guys have been working well for us, and consumers like how the storyline is going," says Wanda Young, director of interactive marketing. "This is a way to differentiate ourselves from the competition. It's fun, it's cool, and we've really explored the depths of their personalities."

The site — including a man lounge and manbrary — has layers of links and images, include 50 videos and 50 hidden hot spots that lead to another level.

Many click-through spots reward users with playing cards that may have codes for online offers or may include codes to unlock another hot spot.

"This has been a fun project," says Iain Lanivich, vice president and associate creative director at ad agency Campbell-Ewald, which created the site and also recently built an online Transformers promotion for General Motors.

Though the campaign appears to be focused on young men, Alltel says women are not being left out.