XMAS MARKETING: THE BIG CAMPAIGNS Cracking Christmas
Christmas 2013 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in video game industry history. And it’s no surprise to see that the UK games industry will spend millions of pounds in a bid to conquer the market this festive season. MCV uncovers the big campaigns for the biggest games
PS4 VS XBOX ONE
THE biggest battle of Christmas sees the two console giants Microsoft and Sony fight it out for video game supremacy. Such is the importance of this battle that neither platform holder would reveal its marketing plans out of fear of giving the other an advantage. We’ll speak to both next month to get the full details. When it comes to current-gen, Sony will continue its ‘time to own a PS3 is now’ campaign with Gran Turismo 6and Beyond: Two Souls joining the fray.
CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS
ACTIVISION is spending more than usual on Call of Dutythis festive season, as it is launching not just a new Call of Duty brand, but for the next
generation of consoles, too. The headline part of the campaign is a ‘triple-A’ two and a half month TV campaign that runs from now until the end of the year. Prints ads and activity will swamp the specialist, film and technology media, alongside national press activity. Meanwhile, Activision will splash the cash online, with some ‘media firsts’ for mobile. To top it off, the firm is planning ‘Call of Duty-style launch activities’ on November 5th when the game arrives.
FIFA 14
THE GAME may be out, but the campaign is far from finished with EA teaming up with Microsoft for a ‘triple-A’ co-marketing deal over FIFA 14on Xbox One. There will also be a continued digital campaign, TV ads around sports and lifestyle
programming, outdoor activity including a tour of football grounds and town centres.
26 October 11th 2013 WATCH DOGS
A NEW IP at Christmas is a risky proposition, so Ubisoft is spending big money promoting Watch Dogs. It all begins this month with activity on TV, in print, online and on the radio. Then at launch in November, Ubisoft has ads around the Thor 2 movie in cinema, followed by your typical blockbuster TV campaign, alongside online, radio and outdoor
presence. Ubi is going big at retail as well, with window activity in ten top Tesco stores, 124 HMV outlets and POS takeovers in GAME. Ubisoft’s marketing chief Mark Slaughter promises the campaign will have ‘a few tricks up its sleeve’ with elements involving technology and interactivity. Expect mobile to play a big part.
www.mcvuk.com POKÉMON AND 2DS
NINTENDO is the UK’s No.1 TV advertiser this year, and it will keep that going with Pokémon. Alongside a more general TV ad featuring in- game footage, Nintendo has a CG campaign featuring young actors. There’s a partnership with Cartoon
Network, too, while X Factorboy band Union J is promoting Xand Y. That’s on top of out-of-home, radio, print and online promotion, all of which will also feature Nintendo’s new 2DS. 2DS has its own campaign that will run over October half-term.
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