Virtual Sentosa on Animal Crossing
Sentosa Development Corporation
Issue 55 | June 2020
Agency
BBH Singapore
Creative Team
Chief Creative Offcer Sascha Kuntze Group Creative Directors Janson Choo, Khairul Mondzi Creative Director Omar Sotomayor Senior Copywriter Adeline Siow Senior Art Director Kenneth Foo Senior Designer Deng Hui Heng Designer Shervin Low
Production Team
Gaming Consultant Stanley Tang Creative Technologist Jiarong Sng Content Producer Sam Lynas Community Managers Chelsea Auo, Tricia Vergara Operations Director Eddie Jackson Head of Delivery Lesley Chelvan Executive Producer Wendi Chong Digital Producer Sean Thambiah Editor Christopher Leow
Other Credits
Sentosa Development Corporation Chief Marketing Offcer Lynette Ang Director, Brand, Marketing and Communications Mira Bharin Senior Assistant Director, Brand & Marketing Elaine Quek Deputy Manager, Brand & Marketing Wendy Tan Deputy Director, Digital Ivan Teo Deputy Manager, Digital Mohameed Zaki bin Jufr Other Business Director Ross Henderson Account Director Manavi Sharma Account Manager Shu Li Tan Head of Strategy Rebecca Ash Strategist Zoe Chen Content Strategists Faith Huang, Cheryl Koh
Date
May 2020
Background
Located at the southern tip of Singapore and minutes from the city, Sentosa is an island resort known to many as The State of Fun, offering a diverse array of unique leisure experiences, all on one island.
With visitor arrivals down an estimated 98.6% by mid-March, Sentosa Development Corporation wanted to remain relevant, especially with younger people.
Idea
To remind people that even during the pandemic, a break is as important for mental wellbeing as ever, the Sentosa resort was recreated within ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, a Nintendo game released in March 2020 in which players could transform “uninhabited islands” into their own virtual paradises.
Players could register for one of 36 free slots each day to visit the virtual playground.
Their avatar could experience the rides and attractions available in the real-world Sentosa after lockdown has ended.
They could try the Skyline Luge, yoga by the beach and hike the nature trails before winding up at the FOC beach bar.
Results
As well as providing light relief from confinement, the game has provided people with ideas for how to celebrate release.
Our Thoughts
Remind people of what they are missing; promise them it will still all be there when coronavirus is over; they will come when they can, I am certain of it. Simple.