The challenge was to help Yahoo! design the world’s first live-action, interactive video game on a digital billboard to promote the relaunch of its Yahoo! Autos website.

Yahoo! designed the ad’s creative look, while R/GA developed the game and its technology. The game allowed for passersby, from March 23 to April 22, 2004, to use their cell phones to race each other live on the Reuters sign in Times Square. All that enthusiasts needed to play the free game was to call a toll-free number using their mobile phones. By using two simple operations on their keypads, contestants raced live against each other or the computer. The game’s setting mimicked its backdrop—a simple outline of Times Square—adding to its wonder and fun.

One of the game’s most innovative features was the use of a wide camera angle that enhanced game play. This was the first game to use a moving camera, which zoomed in on cars while contestants played. For the first 17 days, the game was played for just about 90 percent of the available playtime.