BRAND PROFILE: DJ HERO 20 MCV 24/09/10
Heroic ambitions
DJ HERO Years active: 2009-2010 Key game: DJ Hero(2009) Coming soon: DJ Hero 2(October 22nd, 2010), DJ Hero 3D(2011)
WWW.MCVUK.COM
Since 2005 the Hero brand has seen success across the world. Christopher Dring investigates…
WHY IT WORKS “The Herobrand has become a part of popular culture and the number of guitars, drums sets, microphones and DJ
Herodecks that are in households around the world is testament to this. “We have always treated the Hero
franchise as a music entertainment property rather than just a video game, and that has been key to its monumental growth since inception. Guitar Heroand DJ Hero are about music lovers being able to interact with music in new ways, experiencing what we call that ‘hero moment’ and simply having a ball in their own living room with their friends. DJ Hero 2stays true to this with its unrivalled soundtrack, its fantastic gameplay enhancements and a killer marketing campaign to wrap it all up.”
Jon Edney,
UK Brand Manager, Activision
CELEBRITY STATUS THE STORY SO FAR...
OVER THE PAST five years the Hero brand has become a major name in both the music and video game sectors. Millions of gamers and music fans across the globe have filled their rooms with plastic guitars and drum sets, while musical giants Metallica, Aerosmith and Van Halen have all been turned into video game stars.
The series has been so successful that it has gone beyond being just another gaming franchise, making appearances in other entertainment mediums. It has cropped up in movies, music videos and even in South Park.
It was another successful year for the
Hero brand in 2009, with Guitar Hero 5 taking the No.1 spot in the Chart-Track
Top 40, beating high-profile rival The Beatles: Rock Band. It was also the year that Activision released pop-centric Band Hero and the innovative DJ Hero. The game makes a big return this year as Activision turns the FreeStyle- developed Guitar Hero spin-off title into a franchise in its own right. “DJ Hero was the highest-grossing new IP of 2009 in US and Europe, and like Guitar Hero, the brand’s success comes from its unique interaction with music,” says UK brand manager Jon Edney. DJ Hero 2 arrives in a variety of bundles – including a multiplayer- focused party bundle – on Friday, October 22nd. Activision is also working on a 3DS edition of the franchise.
The Hero music game brand has been able to attract some big names over the years. From Slash to Heidi Klum, past Hugh
Hefner, Dave Mustang and Metallica, there has been a wealth of famous faces attached to the series throughout its life cycle. And DJ Hero is no exception, with the likes of Eminem, DJ Shadow and Jay Z among artists contributing. Activision is continuing its trend of big-name talent with DJ Hero 2.
“We’ve always been extremely proud
of the calibre of artists that have worked with us on the Herofranchise, not just in marketing campaigns but in the actual game development,” says DJ HeroUK brand manager Jon Edney. “DJ Hero 2is definitely no exception
this year as we have one of the world’s hottest DJ’s – Tiësto – making his video game debut on DJ Hero 2.As well as this, he is acting as our European ambassador and spokesperson for the new game.”
“ MUSICAL TRIALS
Getting consumers hands-on with the Herotitles has been key to their enduring success. Guitar Herohas found a home at
rock festivals, with gamers able to take to the stage after the festival has closed and play the songs they just heard on the main stage. And Activision has adopted similar techniques in promoting DJ Hero, with new plans for the sequel. “We’re not revealing much just yet, but
I guarantee that it’s going to be huge,” explains UK brand manager Jon Edney.
“As with Guitar Hero, getting
We treat the Hero franchise as an
entertainment property rather than a game, and that has been key to its growth.
Jon Edney, Activision
people’s hands on the game is crucial to its success, and sampling will once again form a key part of our campaign. “DJ Hero 2will also benefit from all the trials that have already taken place this year with the original DJ Heroat places ranging from the Ibiza Rocks Hotel to the X Factorauditions. “Whenever people play the game
they’re blown away by the quality of the music and the all-round experience it has to offer.”
”
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