Stepping Up the Intensity: SSG/Brandintense
June 30, 2008
VIDEOGAME MARKETERS KNOW THEY have to go the extra mile to grab the attention of avid gamers. For Microsoft's recent launch of the sci-fi shooter Halo3® game for Xbox, that mile was traveled at midnight, through the streets of Manhattan, to the Best Buy store on Fifth Avenue, in a dynamic event motorcade complete with Marine escort. This traffic-stopping spectacle was the work of Archdale, N.C.-based SSG/Brandintense, which put together the promotion in just three weeks.
The main vehicle in the convoy, dubbed the Halo3® H2 and fully loaded with the Halo3 game packages, drove up to the door of Best Buy at precisely midnight and kicked off the game release by shooting free T-shirts from a turret into the frenzied crowd, some of whom had been waiting in line for days to purchase the new combat game. The midnight madness helped make the Halo3®'s launch the biggest entertainment launch in history, garnering an estimated $170 million in sales in the U.S. alone during the first 24 hours. Since then, the Halo3® H2 has been outfitted with high-tech gaming stations and traveling to college campuses across the nation, spreading the game's popularity.
Ron Gaines, SSG/Brandintense's president and founder, says the campaign has exceeded Microsoft's expectations. "Our goal was to bring an exciting and compelling presence to the table, with our contribution being that souped-up H2," says Gaines. "It worked out very well, with the extra bells and whistles (such as the T-shirt turret) adding an extra level of excitement on site."
A pioneer in contemporary event and mobile marketing solutions, SSG/Brandintense has partnered with some of the most prestigious brands and innovative agencies in the business since its launch 15 years ago. Now, the company is seeking a limited number of strategic partnerships with agencies interested in associating with an event and mobile marketing organization known for professionalism, operational integrity and product quality. "We've come to realize that it can be enjoyable and mutually beneficial to team up with agencies that are interested in broadening their service base," says Gaines, "and bringing an event marketing component to bear on promotions and projects."
In another recent effort, SSG/Brandintense paired up with PULSE, a health and wellness marketing agency, to create a multicultural extension of Kellogg's successful Healthy Beginnings program. Working together, the firms developed an 8-market, 125-event mobile tour featuring Healthy Beginnings screenings that were presented as educational events in retail store parking lots. A dynamic trailer setup featured four tents, each staffed by a bilingual healthcare professional offering a different screening-blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and BMI.
At the events, bilingual signage and collateral materials helped educate consumers about heart health and proper nutrition, while free photos with Tony the Tiger added a family-friendly element. According to Gaines, each mobile event attracted 300 to 500 consumers, driving incremental sales of the Kellogg's Healthy Beginnings adult cereal brands, as consumers were required to purchase four qualifying cereals to receive cholesterol and glucose-screening services. Finally, the program provided a valuable public relations platform for Kellogg in each city, enabling the marketer to further enhance its reputation as a health and wellness resource for these underserved populations.
Going forward, Gaines sees more such partnerships in SSG/Brandintense's future, particularly when it comes to event marketing. "Right now we have our thumb on the pulse of the promotional world-and the changes taking place within it," says Gaines. "We'd like to explore the potential of utilizing our agency's core competencies to place complementary agencies in the event and mobile marketing business quickly and efficiently."
For more Event Marketing coverage:
Up Close and Personal
You Imagine It, They Build It: Craftsmen Industries, Inc.
The Power of Integration: Freeman
Stepping Up the Intensity: SSG/Brandintense
The Perfect Blend: XA The Experiential Agency
