ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER

TitleZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER
BrandMICROSOFT
Product/ServiceXBOX / DEAD RISING 4
Category D06. Live Events
Entrant McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement CARAT London, UNITED KINGDOM
PR EDELMAN London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production CRAFT WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 2 MOMENTUM WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 3 HELIX 3D London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 4 FLUX BROADCAST London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name Company Position
Rob Doubal McCann London Chief Creative Officer
Laurence Thomson McCann London Chief Creative Officer
Sanjiv Mistry McCann London EMEA Creative Director
Jamie Mietz McCann London EMEA Creative Director
Jim Nilsson McCann London Copywriter
Jacob Björdal McCann London Art Director
Clare Mann McCann London Project Director
Paul Gillespie McCann London Senior Project Manager
Sergio Lopez Craft Worldwide, London Head of Integrated Production
Aaron Raybe Momentum Worldwide, London Senior Event Producer
Duncan Groves Craft Worldwide, London Senior Producer
Chris Cartwright Craft Worldwide, London Senior Producer
Ruth Oates Craft Worldwide, London Production Manager
Dan Howarth McCann London Head of Art
Sam White Craft Worldwide, London Video Director
Charlotte Walters McCann London Planner
Rob Smith McCann London Executive Vice President
Sailesh Jani McCann London Regional Business Director
Tom Oliver McCann London Account Director
Isobel Thomas McCann London Account Manager
Sophie Grierson McCann London Account Executive
Alice Parker McCann London Account Executive
Louise Ringrose McCann London Director of Communications
Paul Jenkinson Craft Worldwide, London Editor
Francis Harris Craft Worldwide, London Editor
Carl Warren McCann London Designer
Simon Thomas McCann London Designer
Dan Fields McCann London Designer
Michael Bow McCann London Designer

The Campaign

Rather than put their trailer on TV, Xbox reimagined what a trailer could be, making it part of the festive season. ‘Zombie Christmas’ was a trailer made entirely of Christmas lights. It was the first time a trailer (usually video) was instead built as a physical installation that could be walked through to see the story unfold. This content wasn’t on TV or YouTube. It only existed outdoors, in lights. Yet with 360° video, the whole world could walk through it to experience the story.

Creative Execution

The real-world trailer consisted of a series of animated Christmas light panels suspended, over the course of 11 days, above a busy shopping plaza in central London in the run-up to Christmas. The lights, switching on and off sequentially, told a story of zombies, powerful weapons and the return of the franchise’s hero. TimeOut London listed it, and thousands visited in person. Yet the whole world could walk through this neighbourhood’s one-of-a-kind Christmas lights thanks to VR and 360 degree video. Zombie Christmas was not an ad. It was a gory yet festive destination.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

1900% above average Facebook response rate Game sales exceeded target by 34% Over 4 million walked through it. (target: 1 million) Over 500000 gamers worked together to switch on the trailer Over 18000 social comments

To cut through the Christmas clutter, Xbox’s strategy was to not interrupt gamers’ festive season on TV or above-the-line channels, like all its competitors, but to add to the festive atmosphere. To create something that wasn’t pushed into people’s homes, but rather something that people would want to come and see.