The team at Biborg breaks down key campaigns from Fortnite, Animal Crossing and more
1.Fortnite goes astroworld style to welcome Travis Scott.
Challenge
As usual, Fortnite is always on the lookout to add new original content in the game and organise unprecedented online events. Its objectives are multiple; keep building the brand charisma, establishing itself as a media, ensuring its active players retention and converting newcomers, especially in a very competitive landscape with new FPS game launches such as Call of Duty: Warzone or Valorant.
Response
Fortnite partnered with Cactus Jack, Travis Scott’s label, to organise unprecedented in-game concerts with exclusive songs. In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, as most of the offline events such as concerts are cancelled, Travis Scott found a way to perform and present an exclusive and world premiere track featuring Kid Cudi.
During the 24th of April weekend, Travis Scott performed five exclusive online concerts gathering more than 12 million players and in-game items were available; a new skin series, in the image of Cactus Jack and a Travis Scott avatar. Finally, every concert attendee received two collector loading screens and the “Cyclone Astroworld” glider as a gift.
What do we think
This activation is an interesting response from Epic Games in a context where FPS are more and more popular and where gamers have time for gaming. Fortnite has already accustomed us to this kind of initiative with the Marshmello concert or the promotion of Star Wars more recently for instance. While Travis Scott has the perfect image and art direction to fit Fortnite, the special effects during the concert were mind-blowing and extremely immersive.
Knowing the partnership was a great success, we are curious to see if it will allow Fortnite to gain the upper hand over the current popular games such as Valorant and Call of Duty Warzone.
2. French clothing brand Gémo got into new Animal Crossing game
Challenge
For clothing brands (amongst many others), the Covid-19 situation is quite a challenge to overcome. The ready-to-wear and accessories French label, Gémo had to face the difficulty of communicating to showcase its new season collection, especially knowing its stores are closed.
Response
If in the real world we are confined in our home, it appears that virtual worlds such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons are the greatest escape opportunity for many casual and mainstream gamers. Knowing the game was an incredible worldwide success, the clothing brand “Gémo” has decided to transport its new collection in an in-game store accessible to all gamers.
By using the game native features allowing users to create their own island and create and customise their own clothes in-game, the brand created its store where users could see the reproduced new collection. Players only had to enter a specific code to download the free collection for their in-game character.
To promote the operation, the French website madmoiZelle partnered with the brand to organise an in-game fashion show with female influencers.
What do we think
The current lockdown forces brands to find new communication channels in line with new consumer behaviours and habits. As gaming is one of the favourite activities during this period, it was very smart from Gémo to integrate its physical presence in such a famous game that tends to be played by its core audience (mainly women). However, the in-game mechanics to access the island where the shop was open and the codes to download the clothes were quite unclear, especially for newcomers to the games.
3. Movie Industry actors are sharing Zoom backgrounds
Challenge
Since most people are in lockdown due to Covid-19 as well as movie theatres being closed and movie productions are paused, the challenge was to promote film content to invite users to watch or rewatch films.
Response
Different studios have allowed the access to various backgrounds inspired by the universes of the films and series they produce. This initiative is based on a Zoom native feature that enables users to change their background while they are in a video conference.
Thus, Pixar was able to share backgrounds on the theme of Nemo, Toy Story, or The Incredible. The Top Gun, Sponge Bob Twitter accounts and some series accounts such as Young Sheldon and Big Brother also followed the same initiative, allowing users to immerse themselves in their favourite movie worlds.
What do we think
Here is an example of how some brands have been able to quickly grasp the new uses and habits due to Covid-19. In this case, the brands were able to understand a new practice relative to video conferencing and found out how they could transform this opportunity. They did it by sharing brand assets. This kind of idea is smart and effortless for the brand while reinforcing brand love and brand charisma for the customers as it appears to be a new form of entertainment during the lockdown.
4. Ubisoft announces Assassin's Creed Valhalla with a streaming event.
Challenge
In a time where most physical events have been cancelled in the video game industry, Ubisoft has to overcome the challenge of announcing its new games from one of its most famous licences: Assassin’s Creed. The video games conferences; E3 at Los Angeles and Gamescom at Cologne are usually privileged by publishers and studio marketing teams to announce the new upcoming games.
Response
On April 29th, the French publisher Ubisoft, broadcasted a teaser on its social networks, Twitch, YouTube and Mixer channels to announce the theme of the next Assassin’s Creed. The teaser featured on Twitch was innovative by the form it took. It was not a short video but an event that started at 2 p.m. and ended at 9 p.m. More than 8 hours of broadcasting during which the viewers were able to watch the key art of the game being created by the graphic designer “BossLogic.”
Throughout the broadcast, viewers were invited to test their knowledge of the saga and of the previous opus by answering questions through an extension. If they were able to give 10 correct answers then, they were eligible to win an exclusive reward available at the release of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
What do we think
This operation is interesting because it shows us how it is possible to create innovative events and announcement effects. Here, Ubisoft has chosen to "take its time" and offer a teaser lasting several hours on streaming platforms that not only allows a message to be sent to a qualified audience, but also provides an interactive and social experience.
The more the keyart was revealed, the more fans had information about the new opus such as the location where the action is going to take place, the theme, the weapons and information about the protagonist and finally in the end of the event the official name of the game and the date of the official trailer.
This activation enabled the brand to generate word-of-mouth among fans and to create conversations on social networks thanks to the fans' theories.
The interactive mechanics proposed by the extension also enabled the brand to reinforce its charisma and connection with players and fans.
5. Rapper Alonzo takes part in the Puma Music Tour to raise funds for the Marseille foundation
Challenge
These last months, it has been difficult for brands usually used to capitalise on physical events to communicate. The street fashion brand and sports equipment brand Puma is not an exception and therefore had to find a new innovative way to promote its partnership with the Fondation de Marseille and the French rapper Alonzo.
This triptych activation had the objective to reinforce its engaged brand image, to connect with a young and sometimes disinterested audience and promote its new album ‘Pack de 6’ for Alonzo.
Response
Puma has set up the virtual “Puma Music Tour”, a charity event for the benefit of the Fondation de Marseille, inside one of the most played online games: GTA V.
The French rapper Alonzo performed its album virtually in the game. People could watch it by connecting in the game or by watching the Twitch broadcast.
After the concert, Alonzo was interviewed by CaMak, a famous streamer, on Twitch. Finally, viewers could win sneakers thanks to the implementation of a giveaway on CaMak Twitch chat. Viewers were invited to make donations through the event for the benefit of the Fondation de Marseille; 2000€ were finally raised.
What do we think
The Puma Music Tour shows us how brands can get in touch with gamers while fitting in with their habits and preferences. The event put together by Puma shows both the integration of a brand into the gaming world and the possibilities and creativity they bring to artists and gamers. Puma takes up the challenge while integrating talented brand partners such as Alonzo.
