The hype of the new "it" thing has never been something I have gotten into. You would never catch me queuing over night, staying up late or getting up early, well maybe only for concert tickets. But one game really does get people counting down the days until launch, Fifa.
Using one of the most marketable footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, 'EA Sports and agency Adam & Eve/DDB created a new skill move to launch the new Fifa 18 game.'* The 'ad made by A&E/DDB shows how the skill could flow from the game into real football and culture. After a player performs El Tornado in Fifa 18 for the first time, it is reviewed by the gaming community and spawns attempts and spin-offs around the world, including by footballers Antoine Griezmann and Dele Alli and NBA star James Harden. Ronaldo, Fifa 18’s cover star, finally performs the move on the pitch of Real Madrid's stadium Santiago Bernabéu. Brands such as Adidas and Coke develop their own versions of El Tornado content, and it also inspires hip-hop duo Run the Jewels to create a track for it.'*
Even though the move and the ad content is from a virtual world, 'EA Sports has already begun previewing El Tornado among the Fifa community. If professional players are able to replicate the move, the brand will unlock the skill move for their virtual likenesses in the game.'*
It might just be a virtual ad for a game, but it speaks so much truth in how a simple idea or skill can create such worldwide hype.
*http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/ronaldo-performs-new-football-move-ea-sports-fifa-18-campaign/1445916
Launched at the end of September, Fifa 18, which I'm pretty sure is exactly the same as the past 17, is rapidly becoming one of the quickest selling games of the year.
Now I might not get the hype of the game or understand how you can play it for hours on end, but I do understand the great marketing that can enter and surround such a game. This year we have seen Coco Cola sponsoring the first virtual player after his introduction to The Journey mode last year, (which is pretty sensible as you can never trust players to not to end up in the papers for some stupid reason) and a launch event with Footballers and Youtubers competing. But what really struck my eye was surprisingly the launch commercial.
It might just be a virtual ad for a game, but it speaks so much truth in how a simple idea or skill can create such worldwide hype.
*http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/ronaldo-performs-new-football-move-ea-sports-fifa-18-campaign/1445916
