Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore and partners, Axis Group Asia, Autobahn Motors and DDB Group Hong Kong have collaborated for the launch of Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) in Southeast Asia with a campaign that looks to bring the excitement and enjoyment of the game into the real world.
The fantasy of choosing your own dream car to drive, a major feature of the Gran Turismo experience, is brought closer to reality with the creation of a life-size vending machine in the landmark ABM Ten Square building in the Civic District in Singapore on the busy Selegie Road. The unique building takeover, created by creative agency, Axis Group Asia, comprises 20 floors of the supercars from the GT7 game, able to be selected and brought down via a special lift system to test drive in the game. “This GT7 supercar spectacle is truly a thing dreams are made of and we are immensely proud to see it come to life”, says Jeremy Tan founder of Axis Group Asia.
Content specifically created for the launch by DDB Group Hong Kong, supported by its gaming and production divisions, FTW and DDB Motion, includes of a series of online videos. Footage features not only a dynamic presentation of the supercar vending machine, but also a simulated GT café from where local gaming and racing heroes, Bobby Tonelli and Claire Jedrek, honour the café’s tradition of celebrating car culture. Together with other well-known motorsport personalities from across the region, they share ideas on cars, racing and GT7.
The videos will be customised for fans in each of the major markets, appearing on the PlayStation Asia social channels (@PlayStation) in March.
Katsuhiko Murase, head of Asia business operations, Sony Interactive Entertainment, commented: “We are very proud of this campaign as this is a great testament of our global marketing effort where the game’s core themes and global direction are adapted to local activation featuring unique landmark in Singapore, as well as local motorsport personalities.
Felix Fong, co-head of DDB FTW, added: “Blurring the lines between virtual and reality is something that we know excites gamers. Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore and Axis Group Asia provided us with an incredible setting we couldn’t wait to show off and adding the GT Café, as a place we could entertain fans and get them excited about the launch, only further helped us bring the Gran Turismo world to life”.