ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER
Title | ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS: THE REAL-WORLD TRAILER |
Brand | MICROSOFT |
Product/Service | XBOX / DEAD RISING 4 |
Category |
B07. Use of Ambient Media: Large Scale |
Entrant
|
McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Idea Creation
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McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Media Placement
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CARAT London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
PR
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EDELMAN London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Production
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CRAFT WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Production 2
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MOMENTUM WORLDWIDE London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Production 3
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HELIX 3D London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Production 4
|
FLUX BROADCAST London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
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
Insight: In the UK at Christmas, ads also have to compete with festive entertainment like Christmas markets and Christmas lights
Idea: 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 VR and 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.
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.
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
At Christmas in the UK, traditional media channels like TV are cluttered. So instead of making a trailer to go on TV, Xbox’s trailer for a Christmas-themed game existed only in an unexpected medium – Christmas lights.
It was the first time a trailer, usually video, was built as a physical installation, (right where people were shopping). Rather than sitting through it, gamers walked through it to see the story unfold.
It’s a medium central to the UK Christmas context. Brits love watching Christmas lights. By creating a trailer in lights, Xbox was able to capitalise on that seasonal interest.
Insights, Strategy and the Idea
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.