What if learning about mortgages felt more like playing a game than sitting through a financial presentation? That was the idea behind The Entry Room, a “Reversed Escape Room” created by Retail Factory for SpareBank 1 Østlandet, which turned the challenges of entering the housing market into an interactive festival experience. The concept earned a Unicorn Award for Best Brand Activation.
Presented at Ypsilon Festival in Drammen, the experience transformed topics such as saving, financing, BSU and realistic housing expectations into a series of physical and digital challenges. Touchscreens, puzzles, audio triggers and interactive mechanics gave participants immediate feedback, turning financial education into something they could actively experience rather than simply being told about.
Beyond the festival, Entry Room was designed to have a longer life, with the modular installation built for reuse across at least 50 activations over five years. Its social impact was equally central, using an engaging format to address financial knowledge gaps and help young people feel more confident navigating the housing market.
