Case Study

Brief

Design and develop an immersive online experience to promote the ITV drama series Demons – a contemporary spin on the legacy Dracula. 

Strategy

Build an online community by developing a game that would be addictive and encourage repeat plays. An innovative crossover of a classic beat-’em-up and platform game was developed, that allowed players to assume the role of Luke ‘smiting’ and collecting demonic Half Lives on the streets of London. The game was launched pre-broadcast to create buzz before the launch and ongoing supports the fan base for the series. The seeding strategy helped maximize the success.

The game also offers ITV the chance to incorporate innovative sponsorship opportunities into the game play, which until now has only really been exploited in console games. Instead of obtrusive banner ads, advertising opportunities can be integrated into the game environment – effectively enhancing the gamer experience through contextual realism rather than creating a distraction. Nielsen Interactive Entertainment has conducted a study which discovered that 70% of gamers respond positively to the presence of real brands, providing it is contextual.

Execution

Demons picks up the action on the dark streets of London where players assume the role of Luke collecting as many of the demonic Half Lives as possible. With the help of Ruby and Mina and the information contained in The Stacks, their headquarters, Luke fearlessly roams the streets in this innovative crossover of a classic beat-’em-up and platform game. Once defeated, the ‘freaks’ are stored in cells in The Stacks, from where players can choose to share their conquests with their friends, giving the game a real viral element. Energy levels are boosted by correctly answering a series of Demons questions.

Results

First immersive online experience for ITV
Full alignment and integration with the plot of the TV series
Winner of Site of the Day from the FWA
Traffic statistics tbc