APG Creative Strategy Awards - Xbox 'Halo 3 - believe' by McCann Erickson

Xbox 'Halo 3 - believe' by McCann Erickson S !!ary Halo 3s Believe is a tale of planning working to ens re !e"ia an" creative co!bine" across n !ero s c#annels to tell an epic story$ %#is epic story #as #elpe" bring t#e franc#ise to a new a "ience& in "oing so !aking Halo 3 t#e biggest entertain!ent la nc# of all ti!e$ 's a bo"y of work t#is ca!paign s#ows s t#at t#e proliferation of !e"ia c#annels is not a c#allenge for integration& b t an opport nity to tell a story across a bigger !arketing co!! nications canvas$ %#is paper tells #ow we #a" to exten" t#e appeal Halo beyon" a loyal #ar" core fan base in or"er to !ake Halo 3 t#e biggest entertain!ent la nc# of all ti!e$ (t tells t#e story of a ca!paign t#at broke in" stry conventions by rei!agining t#e co!petitive lan"scape it was operating in$ (t tells t#e story of a great creative i"ea exten"ing itself beyon" tra"itional !e"ia c#annels$ 'n" t#ankf lly t#is paper s#ows s t#e i!pact a great ca!paign can #ave on t#e sales of a pro" ct$ Halo 3 broke all entertain!ent in" stry recor"s wit# opening "ay sales of )*+!& !ore t#an ,,-. t#at of /pi"er!an 3& t#e for!er recor" #ol"er$ Ca!"aign #ackgro nd

Halo is a #ig#ly acclai!e" vi"eoga!e franc#ise fro! B ngie /t "ios an" Microsoft 0a!e /t "ios$ (t portrays t#e efforts of t#e # !an race to resist "estr ction at t#e #an"s of alien forces$ %#e series was la nc#e" in 1--1 wit# Halo2 Co!bat Evolve"& a first person s#oot e! p fro! t#e perspective of s per sol"ier Master C#ief$ 1--+ saw t#e la nc# of Halo 1& w#ic# beca!e t#e !ost playe" ga!e on Xbox 3(4E& Xboxs online ga!ing property$ %#e ga!e #as gat#ere" a #ar" core following of fans over t#e years& known affectionately as t#e Halo 5ation$ %#e existence of t#e establis#e" loyal fans !eant we co l" g arantee Halo 3 wo l" sell well& b t t#is case st "y will "e!onstrate #ow we creative strategy to lift t#e ga!e o t of its #ar" core silo an" into !ainstrea! pop lar c lt re$ Ca!"aign $b%ectives %#e Halo 5ation are one of t#is franc#ises biggest strengt#s b t provi"e" s wit# a classic !arketing c#allenge& a nee" to exten" t#e ga!es appeal beyon" o r loyal core a "ience$ 6e #a" a clear b siness ob7ective of selling ,$8 !illion copies of Halo 3 across EME' in t#e first year after la nc#$ 9 r calc lations s#owe" s t#at t#e Halo 5ation wo l" acco nt for only :8. of target sales& leaving s wit# 3:8&--- copies of t#e ga!e still to sell$ 9 r first ob7ective was of t#e t!ost i!portance2 1. Attract an audience beyond the Halo Nation for Halo 3 6e were la nc#ing at a b sy ti!e in t#e !arket place& wit# lots of console ga!e la nc#es trying to co!pete wit# Halo 3$ (n t#is context we nee"e" to elevate Halo above o r tra"itional vi"eo ga!e co!petition an" refra!e o r co!petitive set$ 9 r ai! was to position Halo 3 as a lan"!ark entertain!ent in" stry la nc#& co!peting against t#e /pi"er!en an" Caribbean ;irates of t#is worl"& not Mario an" 3ara Croft$ %#is t#inking le" to o r secon" ob7ective2 2. Make Halo 3 the biggest entertainment opening day of all-time, e ceeding the pre!ious global record set by "piderman 3 #ith $%&.'m( make Halo 3 a true cultural phenomenon &owards a Strategic Plat'or!

Xbox nee"e" to reac# t#e people w#o "i"nt like Halo& or "i"nt care abo t Halo& or #a" never #ear" of Halo$ 'n" get t#e! to b y a copy$ (f we were going to "o t#is& t#e conventions of t#e category were irrelevant - lo " explosions& po n"ing ! sic& ga!eplay footage& g ns& bloo" an" gore wo l" !erely reinforce t#e perceptions people #a" of Halo$ 6e nee"e" to rewrite t#e r les of a vi"eo ga!e ca!paign an" s#ow !ore of t#e c#aracteristics of t#e !ovies we wis#e" to co!pete against$ Approach( ,$ 6e so g#t to e!brace t#e Halo 5ations love of all t#ings Halo& < n"erstan" w#y t#ey #a" s c# passion for t#is franc#ise$ 1$ 6e interrogate" t#is passion to see if it co l" be sprea" to a wi"er a "ience& once we were to start talking abo t Halo in a "ifferent way$ )hat #e learned( /peaking to Halo fans t#ey tol" s t#at Master C#ief was a #eroic fig re& an" t#e story of t#is #ero was t#e !ain reason t#ey wante" to play t#is ga!e$ He #as been t#e star of eac# instal!ent an" is Halos e= ivalent of ;eter ;arker or Harry ;otter$$$a central fig re t#e a "ience can rally aro n"$ B t$$$(n ca!paign's for t#e previo s Halo ga!es t#e action an" special effects #ave been key selling points$ Master C#ief was portraye" as a lea" c#aracter in a vi"eo ga!e& b t Halo fans portraye" #i! as t#e #ero of a story$ "o #e decided( %#is ca!paign nee"e" to foc s on o r !ovie lea"$ Master C#ief represents t#e very tenets of a #ero > bravery& sacrifice& " ty& an" selflessness$ %#ese t#e!es are consistent wit# t#e = alities of real #eroes& an" classic storytelling t#ro g#o t #istory > t#ey are niversal an" ti!eless t#e!es t#at speak to all of s$ (nstea" of telling people abo t t#e action t#ey were going to experience& like !ost vi"eo ga!es& we nee"e" to e!otionally engage t#e! is t#is potentially epic story t#at t#ey co l" co!e an" play a part in t#e!selves$ A Strategic Plat'or! Master *hief the Hero %#is t#o g#t is base" on a clear pro" ct tr t#& an" enable" s to flip all of o r a "iences perceptions of Halo& t rning it fro! a s#oot e! p into an epic story for t#e ages$

(n o r c lt re we #ave always looke" for Heroes& fro! 0la"iators to football players$$$o r a!bition was si!ply & for Master C#ief to follow in t#eir footsteps$ 9 r creative task t#en& was to !ake people believe in Master C#ief as a #ero& an" believe it in a way t#at was respectf l an" reverential to t#e #istory of #eroes& i!aginary or real& fa!o s or ns ng& wit#in t#e worl" t#at we in#abit$ %#at task was solve" creatively by creating a #eroic i"ea t#at se" every possible c#annel to a"" "ept# to o r story& in "oing so bl rring t#e bo n"aries of t#e Halo niverse an" o r own > an" co!!e!orating Master C#iefs feats& ac#ieve!ents < #eroics fro! t#e year 1881 '?2 to"ay& all across E rope& for real$ +he *reati!e Approach , +he Museum of Humanity ' virt al space an" concept "evote" to t#e !e!ory of t#e #ero Master C#ief$ Heroes #ave t#eir stories tol" fro! generation to generation& creating t#e ! se ! allowe" s to bring Master C#iefs story to life$ 9 r w#ole ca!paign b ilt fro! t#is central t#o g#t t#ro g# several p#ases in t#e ca!paign life cycle$ #eyond (ntegration -hase 1 - .elie!e for the Halo Nation 'lt#o g# we wante" to !ove beyon" t#e Halo 5ation event ally& fee"ing t#eir # nger for all t#ings Halo was necessary to b il" !o!ent ! an" create a B @@ in t#e pre la nc# p#ase$ /o we aire" a teaser spot a year before la nc#$ (t ran only once on %4 in t#e 8 key EME' !arkets& wit# internet pro!otion prece"ing t#e spot !aking it an appoint!ent to view& an" was si! lcast live on xbox$co! across t#e region in parallel to %4 airing$ 9 r target cons !ers engage" i!!e"iately wit# /tarry /tarry 5ig#t& an" on t#e "ay of t#e si! lcast EME' traffic to xbox$co! overtook t#at to playstation$co! for t#e first ti!e ever$ -hase 2 Bringing to life t#e M se ! of H !anity !eant being s!art wit# !e"ia$ /o& we establis#e" a set of principles t#at co l" be applie" across all !arkets& regar"less of si@e an" b "gets$ %#ese principles allowe" s to bring t#e M se ! of H !anity to life in over 1EME' !arkets in a consistently engaging way$ Cine!a an" %4 for epic& e!otional la nc# of t#e concept$

(nternet as a #o!e for f rt#er ric#& engaging long for!at fil!s an" interactive content$ Experiential& in t#e streets& a!bient work to allow cons !ers to engage wit# an" spen" ti!e wit# Believe& an" to tr ly e!be" it into pop lar c lt re$ 'll of t#e work ca!e fro! t#e sa!e core concept& b t bro g#t it to life in very "ifferent ways$ 5ot only "i" t#e ca!paign e!brace ! ltiple to c# points& it se" t#ese to c# points to expan" on t#e core concept& not si!ply repeat it$ %#is a""e" "ept# to t#e ca!paign an" !a"e t#e core story all t#e ric#er$ "o, #hat did #e do/ %#e centrepiece of t#e ca!paign was a %4 a" t#at "ra!atically intro" ce" t#e a "ience to t#e ! se !$ %#e a" feat res t#e Ao#n ,,: !on !ent& a #an" crafte" recreation of a #istoric battle in w#ic# Master C#ief #eroically le" #is troops to victory$ / pporting t#is were !ore %4 an" viral fil!s feat ring war veteran testi!onials& expan"ing on t#e Master C#ief folk lore an" "eveloping t#e concept of t#e ! se !$ %#e story also nfol"e" on t#e street w#ere stat es were erecte" in #ono r of t#e #ero Master C#ief& ! rals were painte" an" street pla= es were "otte" aro n" E rope co!!e!orating fictional battlegro n" sites$ (n t#e BC a war p#otograp#y ex#ibition was #el" in cine!as& s#owcasing t#e work of fictional war p#otograp#er Aake Co rage$ Dans stole !any of t#e pict res an" so!e were even fo n" for sale on e-bay$ -hase 3 , A#areness .uild 0 1aunch Hype 6it# t#e notion of Master C#ief as #ero now establis#e"& an" a legion of cons !ers rea"y to Believe& t#e final p#ase before la nc# was foc se" on !axi!ising b @@& noise < #ype in !arket in t#e key la nc# win"ow at retail$ ' !assive awareness p s#$ ?riving reac# < fre= ency in a co!presse" ti!e perio"$ 6e t# s !ove" o t of long for!at '4 !e"ia& an" into o t"oor& online an" print& to roa"block t#e weeks in t#e r n p to t#e title #itting s#elves on /epte!ber 1Et#$ /i! ltaneo sly& a # ge ;F < events p s# "rove nprece"ente" Gfor a vi"eoga!eH e"itorial col !n inc#es& t#ro g#o t !ainstrea! as well as specialist press& an" ens re" t#at t#e w#ole worl" was excite" abo t t#e Halo 3 la nc#$ 9n t#e nig#t of t#e 18t# /epte!ber Gt#e "ay before la nc#&H we #el" celebrity fil!style pre!iere parties& linke" over Xbox 3(4E < strea!ing on xbox$co!$ %#e ;F possibilities of t#is activity far o treac#e" anyt#ing in t#e category to "ate or since > 8-- key lifestyle < cons !er tec#nology 7o rnalists across EME' generate" over +-- !illion in"ivi" al i!pressions in t#e region$

Heroic )es lts Fecalling t#e 1 ob7ectives for t#e ca!paign2 ,$ 'ttract an a "ience beyon" t#e Halo 5ation for Halo 3 1$ Create a tr e c lt ral p#eno!enon by breaking global first "ay reven es for all entertain!ent categories 6e s ccee"e" in bot# tasks$ Beyon" t#e Halo 5ation Dro! analysis of t#e Halo 1 player fanbase& we pre"icte" t#at t#e Halo 5ation wo l" acco nt for ,$1 !illion nit sales across EME' in t#e first year after release$ %#e Halo 5ation as #ar"core fans wo l" of co rse be expecte" to p rc#ase al!ost i!!e"iately pon t#e titles release > so close to t#at ,$1 !illion we were expecting to #ave p rc#ase" by C#rist!as$ %#e first #int of o r s ccess was w#en pre-or"ers for t#e ga!e passe" , !illion "eposits across EME'& before t#e ga!e was even on s#elves$ By C#rist!as& EME' to-"ate sales were at ,$* !illion > a f ll 1-. a#ea" of t#e total years target$ 'not#er E--&--- Halo Believers$ 6e nee"e" to attract 3:8&--- new Halo fans to ac#ieve o r targets > b t we #a" a""e" anot#er E--&--- new !e!bers to it wit# o r new portrayal of Master C#ief as a #ero to Believe in$ C lt ral ;#eno!enon %#e !ission was to ac#ieve t#e #ig#est opening "ay sales ever recor"e"$ %#e co!petition were /pi"er!an 3 Gfil!H& an" Harry ;otter an" t#e ?eat#ly Hallows Gbook& 7 st be#in" /pi"er!an 3 in total reven e fig resH$ Master C#iefs new ar!y of Believers were #owever !ore t#an p to t#e task$ I 0lobal opening "ay sales were recor"e" at )*+!$ %#is !a"e it easily t#e largest 1+ #o rs of reven e in entertain!ent #istory& at ,,-. of t#e ol" /pi"er!an 3 recor"$ I By t#e en" of t#e first week& ),8-! #a" been collecte" in total > anot#er recor"$ Xbox "ont se tracking researc# on console title a"vertising& so we "ont #ave tra"itional !eas res t#at s#ow #ow i!pactf l o r ca!paign was$ 3 ckily t#e viral s ccess of o r core activity provi"es s wit# evi"ence t#at t#e ca!paign was pop lar an" engaging$ /tarry /tarry 5ig#t o r pre la nc# ca!paign #as been watc#e" over ,- !illion ti!es across sites s c# as Jo % be$

%#e ;#ase 1 testi!onial viral fil!s were viewe" over : !illion ti!es in t#eir ,st 1+ #o rs of release& w#ilst t#e M se ! of H !anity centrepiece television spot #as been viewe" over 1 !illion ti!es online$ +he 2.elie!e3 campaign catapulted Halo 3 from an ordinary !ideo game into a #orld#ide cultural phenomenon due to its ability to build an emotional rapport #ith the audience. +he inno!ati!e stream of interacti!e +4, )eb and cinema ad!ertisements #as an inspired approach that successfully attracted an audience beyond the typical gamer. M'FJ 6'F3(CC& CE9 9D %HE 95E C3BB ' t#ors2 C#ris 0allery& %o! Fot#enberg& 5ick Co#en& Aake Co rage