Halo on the Xbox has been hailed as one of the greatest video games of all time, while the release of its sequel, the aptly named Halo 2, was met with universal critical approval. Therefore, the sense of anticipation surrounding the next instalment in the franchise was massive.
However, in the EMEA region, previous incarnations of the game had not been popular and so Universal McCann was charged with converting those who did not like the game or had never heard of it.
The game portrays the efforts of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 as he fights alien forces in the year 2552. The concept of heroism formed the backbone of the campaign and was used to form an emotional link with consumers. By blurring the boundaries between the Halo universe and our own, Universal McCann felt it could reach beyond the game's core fan base.
The agency threw out the conventional media strategy for the market and kicked off the campaign a year before the game's release, rather than the usual fortnight before retail launch.
Universal McCann built a virtual museum dedicated to the memory of Master Chief. At its heart stood a 400sq ft memorial representing the key battle in Halo 3. A film of the monument and veterans of the battle were used to bring the game's heroism alive on TV and in cinema. Two 60-second executions ran in parallel on TV in 14 markets - an unprecedented occurrence for the gaming sector.
The campaign did not stop there. Statues of Master Chief were erected in emerging EMEA markets alongside those of real-life heroes, street murals spread the message, and symphony orchestras were commissioned to play music from the game in the Nordic countries.
As Halo 3's release date neared, other media were targeted, including TV, online and press. Examples included Metro wraps, bus T-sides, the Samsung Screen in Piccadilly and mall takeovers in emerging markets. The effort paid off. First-year sales targets for EMEA were exceeded by 25% in three months and Halo 3 became the biggest entertainment launch, earning £84m on its opening day.
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