Box Frenzy
April 21, 2010
Nike takes gaming to the streets
Nike’s experimental Alternate Reality Game (ARG) campaign is set to kick start this Friday across London. The footwear brand is promoting both its products and a positive fitness message via Nike Grid, a 24 hr urban running game that divides the capital into a game-board of 40 competing postcodes. The location-based game sees users registering online and then running between telephone boxes, entering 4-digit codes as they go, in order to receive points. Read more
Daft Vader
February 1, 2010
The empire sneaks back
There is an interesting meld of genres in this recent adidas commercial, which promotes a new line of Star Wars branded footwear in the style of its ‘House Party’ campaign commercial from 2008. Read more
I just can’t kill enough
December 9, 2009
Your own personal blood loss
With all the focus currently on getting music in prime time US TV dramas or onto the soundtrack of the next Guitar Hero or Rock Band spin off, it’s easy to forget that there are far subtler ways of integrating your presence into consumers’ living rooms.
Quite possibly my favourite band integration of the end of the year goes to Dépêche Mode’s presence in Valve’s zombie onslaught video game ‘Left 4 Dead 2′. Read more
The great escape
January 13, 2009
You can buy without fear
Lily Allen’s single The Fear is being promoted via a viral music game. The game, entitled Escape the Fear, features Allen as the main character. Players must help Lily navigate 10 levels whilst avoiding obstacles such as paparazzi cameras, rabid handbag dogs, evil bankers throwing credit cards, alcohol and demonic puzzles. Read more
Finger picking hero
October 2, 2008
KFC’s fast food rockers
To tie in with the forthcoming release of Activision’s Guitar Hero World Tour, fast food chain KFC is entering into a selection of promotional giveaways.
A limited-edition KFC Guitar Hero collector’s cup will feature a special promotion which will enable KFC customers to access secret cheat codes to unlock special features within the Guitar Hero World Tour game. Read more
Remix and conquer
October 2, 2008
Electronic Arts is promoting the release of its Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 game with a musical viral remix. Red Alert Remix 3 features a remix of ‘Hell March’ (from the original game) by artist CB Shaw. It features a host of stars in the clip (who also appear as characters in-game), including Kelly Hu, Jenny McCarthy, Gemma Atkinson, and George Takei. All your ‘bass’ is belong to us.
Post box
September 17, 2008
Xbox is inviting you to create and promote your fantasy gig, in order to win the “party of a lifetime”, worth $50K, simply select your ideal line-up, create a promotional poster and submit it to the praise or derision of an online community. The winning entrant will then move on to be in charge of promoting Xbox’s final gig of the year and selecting acts for real; a true instance of ‘live’ imitating art.
Gambling with music
August 11, 2008
What?: Mohegan Sun, the world’s second largest casino, has been utilising classic songs by Toto, Rick James, and The Knack in its recent ad campaigns. The ads opt for the ‘new musical’ agenda, leveraging the current interest in all things High School Musical- and Mamma Mia!-related. Read more
In the army now
July 24, 2008
Be a national Guitar Hero
What?: The US Army National Guard is rolling out its Rock Star Hero Challenge recruitment tour bus at various music festivals and other outdoor events in a bid to sign up new recruits.
The bus has been fitted with 52” touch-screen displays that allow potential recruits to participate in virtual missions and guitar-based videogames. Visitors will be encouraged to pose in front of eight different ‘green screen’ images of rock bands (that they can download via the web). Read more
Lost In Translation
July 11, 2008
Last night a DJ tried to save my life
What?: The White Island is an Alternate Reality Game (ARG), which is being billed as the ‘rave version of Lost’. The interactive game asks players to help solve the mystery behind a series of events that could “threaten the very soul of Ibiza”. Read more
