Gangs of London

Background

The aim of the campaign was to launch Gangs of London as the most exciting PSP release to the Sony database, gamers and those intrigued by the franchise or the Gangland premise of the game. Moreover, 20:20 London was tasked with making gamers feel truly involved with the launch of Gangs of London, and with using technology to make participants feel that they, like PSP, are part of the technology and gaming elite.

Idea

The agency’s solution was to blur the boundaries between the product and its marketing by making the campaign an extension of the Gangs of London gaming experience. They used characters and settings from the game and sent people on the trail of a Gangster's hidden diamond. Initially, an email was sent to the database, linking to a microsite that showed a film setting out the story of Nick ‘the’ Diamond - London Crimelord and recently deceased owner of a very large pink diamond.

At the same time and available to all, press ads encouraged people to take and send a mobile phone camera picture of gang logos to a shortcode in return for SMS clues and instructions. Posters in central London offered the same image-recognition function and cryptic flyers were left around town giving more clues. Several microsites, email addresses, YouTube videos, answer machine messages and even classified ads in local press all presented opportunities to follow the clue trail. Only those participants who registered on the microsite received the ultimate clue - the old battered teddy bear from the storyline. These people were entered into a prize draw to be invited down to an East End boozer with gang members and ‘exotic’ girls where the diamond’s location would be revealed. In addition, one lucky gamer would receive a £10,000 prize.

Results

Email response rates averaged a high performing 16.5%. 65% of visitors to nickthediamond.com came from banners, SMS clues, word of mouth, forums and other campaign web locations. The interactive press and outdoor element delivered a 34.9% conversion from mobile to online media. WoM from SMS clues reached a staggering 3783%. 10,000 'teddy bear' DM packs were sent out to early users who registered on the site. One bear appeared on eBay and generated an intense bidding war. A group of users even created a blog 'My London Adventure' to exchange clues and information.

Target Audience

Sony database of gamers and their friends

Size

150,000 emails; press ads within several national dailies during the week of the launch as well as specialist gaming titles; outdoor in a central London site for two weeks

Our Thoughts

20:20 had a tough act to follow their own brilliant work for the PSP game ‘24’ but true to form have come up with an idea which, I suspect, becomes better and better the more involved you get. I recently heard a Top 5 UK ad agency creative director waxing lyrical about this campaign and about the agency. Wonder if that means an acquisition is on the cards?