CONCEPT
The user encounters a serial sales ad over a configurable period of weeks, encouraging them to purchase credits and grow their credit tree (configurable theme).
Each sales period lasts 24 hours and if the user purchases a credit package, their Tree grows in value, and the next sale becomes even more valuable.
If the user does not purchase a tree within the sale period, their tree "withers" one stage, and the next sale/package value also diminishes accordingly.
At the end of a configurable number of sales, with an interim period of a week between each, the Tree blooms, providing the user with a number of credits commensurate to the care lavished upon it.
CONSIDERATIONS
A Strong Metaphor
Establishing a strong visual metaphor is important. The visuals should reinforce a sense of progress, naturally lend themselves to a concept where progression feels natural, and entices the players to purchase while rewarding them with a sense of wonder.
Managing Expectations
One thing that emerged during brainstorming sessions was the idea that as these sales occur later, it would help to have a new visual theme in order to bring a sense of closure after each series of sales. Otherwise the player would experience confusion and sadness after their tree was demoted back to a Base Starting State.
Recommendation: A seasonal garden with appropriate accoutrements (watering can for spring, spade for fall, sand bucket for summer, mittens or ice pick for winter). A garden is harvested--ie not expected to remain in the same condition between one season and the next.
Flow Revisions
After the first flows were done, we started asking ourselves if the initial flow wasn't too punitive. After all, if any user had purchased a lot during the first part of the sale, but for whatever reason couldn't come back later, they would be punished more harshly than somebody who spent only a little in the final days of the sale. While we ran through various benchmarking scenarios, it was ultimately decided that if a user had paid to achieve a garden level, their garden would remain at that level. The "withering" concept was deprecated.
The Ad Art
Left to right: Intro Offer, Info Screen, Early Stages, Interstitial Between Serial Sales, Final Harvests, based on how well you "tended" your garden by buying watering cans and credits.
UX, Layout, Typography, Small Icons, and Comps: Me
Background Art: Steven Grice
CSS/Dev: Tohamas Brewster
Additional Art: Ashley Lindsey