GameStop Halofest
idea
Make GameStop the destination for pre-ordering and ultimately purchasing Halo: Reach, a first-person shooter video game, by creating Halofest - the destination for all things Halo: Reach - news, content, engagement and pre-order.
ignition
Strategically, we sought to provide strong engagement and experiential opportunities for the core gamer and broad audience. Our activation included a fully integrated plan utilizing three key areas to help achieve our objectives: digital, in-store and events.
For starters, we used viral videos to drive mass reach and awareness of the pre-order exclusive and to steer consumers to the Halofest microsite. The GameStop email database, along with the brand’s active Facebook and Twitter pages, announced news in real time and promoted cost efficiency. Blogger outreach and integration was key in making GameStop an active part of the conversation online. Mobile and online sweepstakes with compelling prizes helped deliver the ultimate objective – to drive pre-orders.
We also used in-store events to provide consumers with exclusive opportunities to become more involved with the game, leading to a greater affinity for the GameStop brand. These events included sneak peeks, midnight openings and tournaments. In-store vehicles such as POP displays, employee programs, and GameStop TV helped to support retail events.
impact
Halofest quickly became the destination for news, content and pre-orders. Exceeding our goal of 1.1MM pre-orders, the program created GameStop preference and closed the loop from pre-order to purchase.
