THE FINALISTS 2012 YOUR TEAM • YOUR GAMES • YOUR AWARDS Previous Winners 10th Anniversary
2008: Halo 3 2009: Wii Fit 2010: Modern Warfare 2 2011: Red Dead Redemption
Any company that ran a significant marketing campaign in the UK supporting products or services within games. Media considered includes TV, online, radio, outdoor and print, plus trade
BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY (WARNER BROS INTERACTIVE
ENTERTAINMENT) Warner Bros pulled out all the stops for its first turn at the bat launching a Rocksteady Batman game. Highlights of the Arkham City campaign included long-tail advertising that covered TV spots, video-on- demand ads and a massive outdoor campaign, with Batman appearing on large billboards in major UK cities, London Underground stations and shopping centres. Plus, more than 6m Batman-branded Rustlerʼs snacks and 3m Kick Energy drinks were shipped in the UK. The game was even the headline sponsor for the October MCM Expo.
BATTLEFIELD 3 (EA) The marketing muscle behind Battlefield 3 was instrumental in the gameʼs success, establishing the FPS as the third best-selling game in the UK last year. In addition to traditional print and online ads, EA focused on targeting consumers in large outdoor spaces. The publisher even bought all ad space at Waterloo Station and national billboard campaigns began in July – four months before the game was even released. TV advertising began even earlier, with the debut ad airing during the FA Cup Manchester derby semi- final in March.
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3 (ACTIVISION)
It was impossible to escape Modern Warfare 3 last year. The first trailer was shown in May during the Champions League final, and quickly racked up YouTube viewings of over 10m in less than a week. POS appeared in a variety of retailers, from specialists to supermarkets, in a bid to drive pre-orders until November. TV, radio and press advertising ran from October to December, complemented by a huge outdoor campaign. Promotional UK events were even held before the first ever Call of Duty XP convention in September. Fans were given the chance to win Golden Tickets to XP. And the first UK CoD Championships were held to select a team to represent our nation at the worldwide final in Los Angeles.
FIFA 12 (EA) FIFA 12 is now the best-selling sports game of all time, thanks in no small part to EAʼs UK marketing team. The worldʼs first FIFA 12 ad aired at half- time during the Manchester United vs Arsenal match, and the publisher established season-long partnerships with several Premier and Football League clubs. The gameʼs strong retail presence was boosted by in-store signings with talent like FIFA 12 cover star Jack Wilshere. The EA Sports Dugout sampling booth visited GAMEfest and key football clubs – by the end of this season it will have visited every club in England and Wales. EA even marketed the game to professional