Website Design
Client
Danielle Salley Creative
(Self-Promotion)
Services
Concept development, creative direction, interactive experience design, AI-assisted illustration, social media campaign, web development
Year
2025
Overview
Doom Board: A Multilevel Murder Mystery is an immersive, Halloween-themed interactive experience created as Danielle Salley Creative’s 2025 self-promotion project. Inspired by classic board-game mysteries, the campaign invites agency and in-house creative teams to explore a fictional ad agency, uncover clues and solve a tongue-in-cheek creative crime.
Developed in collaboration with copywriter Andrew Evans, Doom Board combined strategic concepting, narrative writing, visual storytelling and interactive design into a multi-day experience. The mystery unfolded across a dedicated landing page and social media, encouraging repeat engagement while reinforcing a clear message. When pressure mounts and deadlines stack, it is smart to call in freelance backup.
CASE STUDY VIDEO PRODUCTION BY REDCHOUX PRODUCTIONS
The Challenge
Seasonal self-promotion often relies on a single visual or a one-time message. The challenge was to create an interactive Halloween marketing campaign that stood out while remaining relevant to the realities of agency and in-house creative teams.
In addition, the experience needed to sustain interest over several days. It had to invite participation, reward curiosity and clearly communicate the value of freelance creative support during high-pressure moments and tight timelines.
SUSPECT CARDS
The Approach
Doom Board transformed a traditional Halloween greeting into a narrative-driven experience. Set inside a fictional agency, Wadsworth & Co., the story centered on the mysterious death of Creative Director Ida Boddy and the questionable creative decisions left behind.
Players explored the agency floor by floor, uncovering clues hidden in familiar spaces such as break rooms, strategy lounges and work areas gone wrong. Inspired by the 40th anniversary of “Clue,” the experience balanced mystery and humor while encouraging careful observation and repeat visits.
Collaboration was built into the execution. Danielle Salley is not a copywriter or an illustrator by trade, so a creative partner supported narrative development, while Scarlet, a custom-trained GPT, assisted with noir-style illustrations. Each visual was refined through human direction to ensure consistency, tone and storytelling clarity.
INTERACTIVE WEBSITE EXPERIENCE
The Result
Doom Board generated steady engagement throughout its run, with players returning multiple times to uncover new clues and test their theories. Social content drove continued traffic back to the website, and several participants successfully solved the mystery.
More importantly, the project delivered a clear takeaway. When creative pressure builds and timelines tighten, collaboration and freelance support help teams move forward with confidence. Recognized with a Gold ADDY at AAF Midlands’ 2026 American Advertising Awards, Doom Board reinforced Danielle Salley Creative’s role as a strategic partner in those moments and proved that strong ideas and polished execution go even further with the right freelance support.
