It might be hard to believe, but this was groundbreaking in 2003

Back when most banner ads were static GIFs and dial-up was still common, we created something pretty wild for Universal Pictures' The Hulk: a synchronized takeover banner ad that featured music and sound effects across two ad units on Yahoo!'s homepage.

This wasn't just an ad—it was a technical achievement. Two separate Flash banner units communicated with each other to trigger synchronized audio and visual events, creating a unified experience that spanned the page. When the Hulk moved, music thumped, and 10 million people saw it.

The Technical Challenge

In 2003, this kind of coordination was virtually unheard of. We had to solve for:

• Audio synchronization across separate ad units using ActionScript
• Bandwidth optimization for an internet still dominated by slow connections
• Cross-browser compatibility across Internet Explorer 6 and early Firefox
• Precise timing to make animations appear seamless across different page positions

The Impact

The campaign reached 10 million people on Yahoo!'s homepage and was featured in Hollywood Reporter and Vanity Fair. More importantly, it helped establish the template for premium homepage takeovers that would become a staple of movie marketing for years to come.

The Hulk went on to gross over $245 million worldwide, with innovative digital campaigns like this one contributing to the awareness that drove its $62.1 million opening weekend.

22 Years Later

Flash is gone. Yahoo!'s homepage looks completely different. But we're still here, still pushing boundaries, still trying to make cool stuff on the internet.

Here's to many more years of web wizardry. 💚

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