This is the future of online advertising.

Denver agencies Cactus and AgencyNet (Not to be confused with 'CORNER OFFICE NOW!' - Agency.com), have created a visually stunning, bang on strategy online campaign for the state of Colorado in the US. It has just taken out the prestigious Gold Award at SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas. For those of you who are out of the loop, SXSW is the premiere awards and conference shindig for interactive agencies worldwide.

The website is called OwnYourC. Don't make a quick click and look job of it. Be sure to spend at least ten minutes exploring the mesmerising landscape that is C-Ville.

The message is all about making the right choices in life. You can customise the weather and the mood automatically changing what's on screen and the sounds you hear. But marketing the value of choices is a strange thing I hear you say? Well, it's a not so thinly guised push at educating teens about the health effects of tobacco. Its completely non-preachy form of communication is refreshing and the perfect tone for speaking to teens.

Along with the website there is a forum, viral ads, downloads and an 'OwnYourC' ice-cream truck that visits schools in the area. The comprehensive cross-platform strategy works it's butt off and succeeds. Unfortunately I couldn't find any post-campaign statistics to back it up, I have no doubt it became a major success.

Even if it didn't, it has paved the way for a flourishingly creative online industry in the future.