ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER
| Title | ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER |
| Brand | MICROSOFT |
| Product/Service | XBOX / DEAD RISING 4 |
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Entrant
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McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
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Idea Creation
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McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
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Media Placement
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CARAT London, UNITED KINGDOM
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PR
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EDELMAN London, UNITED KINGDOM
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Production
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CRAFT WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
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Production 2
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MOMENTUM WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
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Production 3
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HELIX 3D London, UNITED KINGDOM
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Production 4
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FLUX BROADCAST London, UNITED KINGDOM
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Credits
| 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
Xbox made a trailer in the form of seasonal entertainment. ‘Zombie Christmas’ was a trailer built out of Christmas lights, and installed in a central London neighbourhood. Gamers were given the on-switch via interactive livestreams on Facebook Live, Twitch and Beam. Once on, people could walk under the lights, watching them animate to tell a brand new story of blood, zombies, and the return of series' hero. With the help of directional DOOH and a feature in TimeOut, the trailer became an entertainment destination that was further enhanced by geo-fenced Snapchat. Tens of thousands visited it in person, and millions of gamers across the globe walked through it on mobile and VR.
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.
Over 500000 gamers switched on the trailer via livestream, revealing a new story about zombies, powerful weapons and the return of the hero from game 1 in the franchise.
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.
- Over 4 million people walked through the trailer
- Response rate was 1900% above Facebook Live’s average.
- Over 18000 social comments
- Sales target was surpassed by 34%.
Zombie Christmas: The Real-World Trailer was unlike any other game trailer. Instead of making a regular trailer, Xbox built one out of Christmas lights. But this was more than just a massive installation and a grand event, it was a truly integrated campaign that engaged fans across a number of media.
500000 gamers switched on the trailer via interactive livestreams on Facebook Live, Twitch and Beam, revealing a story that could be walked through in person, in VR, or on mobile. TimeOut listed it, directional DOOH pointed the way, and geo-fanced Snapchat added to the atmosphere.
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.