Evidence of a bizarre app and its ad that went viral around 2016-2017
(Hope this is the right subreddit!)
Around 2016-2017, right around my last year of high-school, an app called NINBUS exploded on the internet. Thanks to its ad that looked like it came straight out of an episode of Black Mirror (It was very popular around that time.) and because Pewdiepie promoted it on one of his latest videos.
Despite that, I haven't found a single thing about it on the internet.
First of all the ad, An almost completely white image with a long black treadmill that had news, apps scrolling through it and a white silhouette barely distinguishable from the background walking with exhaustion on it. You could see the silhouette barely fading away, becoming dust as it walks until it falls.
That dust rose up. From its body it made a web of connections, before gaining wings and this magenta halo that almost made it look like a blank profile picture.
It had a narration, I don't really remember much about. I think the main character's name was Paul? Talking about how he was tired of this reality filled with dreadful news, wasting away as the years go by, and how nothing really matters anymore about this world. I clearly remember after the speech he said something like-
"I'm done. I'm through."
"I'm going to a new world where people really care about me, where there are no wars or (inaudible). I'm going to become an angel."
It was visually striking, and its message really caught your attention.
For the app, its message was even more bizarre.
The app promoted itself as a new reality in which your time has intrinsic value. Every second you spend on the app, you gain its currency called NIN. The app was supposed to become so huge that it would become a real currency. Your life became the currency.
The more people you brought, the more people following you, would increase your "rank."
I don't remember much about the ranks. I just remember the first one. You need to bring ten people to follow you to become an angel and then a bit more, maybe fifty? to become an archangel there were a couple more but I don't remember them.
When you did, your profile pic gained this colored ring depending on your rank. I think it was this magenta for the angel and a golden one for the archangel. I also remember one being maybe even a red one for the highest of ranks.
Design-wise, it was this slick, black-and-white app. Its logo was very clean and modern. Here's what I remember looking like when you opened the app. Its little app icon was the N in NINBUS.
The app had a profile, which said the category of your rank. It also included this web to see your followers and your connections throughout.
I think either it was in your profile, or there was always a button on the bottom of the screen where you could see your NIN go up every three to five minutes.The higher rank you were, you gained more.
Also this stage in which you could technically see which things you could eye think there was a hat or a thermos that I don't really remember this part.
It's been years. It's a vague memory.
But if you remember of even have a screenshot of the app or its promotional ad. It would be enough.
