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Ad Talent // Newsletter October/November 2007 |
| Universal McCann Casts a Halo for Latest XBox Game |
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The latest strategic war game to hit South African shores is Halo 3. To launch the XBox product, AdFocus Media Agency of the Year 2007 Universal McCann, devised an unforgettable strategy using non-traditional media. "Halo 3 is a first person hero shooter game with unsurpassed graphic quality," says Nazeer Suliman, General Manager, Universal McCann. "Targeting 18 - 30 year old men, we had to create media solutions that would capture this audience that is traditionally indifferent to traditional advertising." The launch strategy largely included outdoor and wall projections, making use of graffiti slogans painted by students. "The idea was to convert Joburg into a living canvas of the apocalyptic Halo 3 experience," explains Nazeer. "Slogans like ‘Martialling a Rebellion', ‘A Hero Must Rise' and ‘Believe' were the critical phrases used to captivate and pique the interest of gamers." In a break from the ordinary, the outdoor campaign included graffiti laden bed sheets containing Halo 3 slogans being fastened to bridges, "Using areas like bridges with bed sheets rather than the usual PVC material, really captured the interest of our target market," says Nazeer. Other outdoor innovations included targeted lighting to create a halo effect of buildings in the heart of Johannesburg - visible from a great distance all round. In cinemas, the visual richness of the Halo 3 advertising convinced many cinema goers that the communication was an actual movie trailer rather than a featured ad. DSTV's MTV channel formed part of the more traditional media choices as did wrapping The Weekender with an eye catching visual of Halo 3. "Halo 3 is one the hottest games available on the market. In this incredibly competitive category we had to make an impact and connect in smarter ways. Due to the cost factor, gamers are very selective buyers. We simply had to ensure that Halo 3 stood out on their must buy-list." |
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