Context and challenges Ubisoft launched Anno 1800 on the 16th of April 2019, a Real-Time-Strategy game, the 7th game of the series on PC. This time, players will have to build their projects in the heart of the industrial revolution, construct their city, and cross the oceans to expand their empire to South America.
Biborg’s main challenge for the Anno 1800 brand strategy was to enlarge the audience with an attractive angle for all EMEA territories as well as Real-Time-Strategy players, especially in a very competitive market. Due to the disappointment some core fans felt about the previous opus, we needed to reassure the Anno core fans about the game proposition. The game series has always really well performed in Germany where there is a huge community of PC and real-time strategy gamers. However, its awareness has been quite low in other territories.
Our answer To stand out from competitors’ positioning and answer our audience’s expectations, we adopted an emotional, personal and narrative-focused approach through the perspective of 19th-century pioneers’ original visions and dreams. Our creatives were meant to invite gamers to step into the shoes of the very first visionaries from the “Jules Verne-ish” 19th Century and live the entrepreneurial dream.
Based on our strategic thinking and by adopting a collaborative approach with Ubisoft, we worked on the manifesto and tagline "Pioneers of a new dawn" that captures the entrepreneurial spirit of a visionary player.
Biborg adapted the creative strategy on marketing assets such as the keyart of the collector's edition revealed in August 2018 during Gamescom, a digital toolkit and the 1min15 trailer.
Created by Biborg and Brunch Studio production studio, the 1min15 video mixes original 3D images and sequences of the game. Guided by a voice-over and original music by Armel Dupas (studio Stereoplane), we follow the entrepreneurial ambition of a visionary man who dreams of building an empire and changing the face of the world. He draws the plans for his perfect city which we see come to life.
For this campaign, we wanted to solicit the audacious and enterprising spirit of our audience. Build, grow, and prosper, these are the goals that players can set to achieve their dreams of visionary pioneers.
Being able to magnify Anno's rich gameplay through the narrative and creativity was the perfect finishing touch to our collaboration with Ubisoft on the launch of Anno 1800.
Biborg offers us a little wink at the end of the film, encrusting the keyart of the collector's edition that was revealed last August, in the hanging artwork of our visionary. Did you notice?
As a result of our campaign, the sales have been multiplied by 4 compared to the last version, Anno 2070, in AUT, Benelux, France, Nordics & UK and has emerged in PL, Eastern, Central Europe and Asia.
Being able to magnify Anno's rich gameplay through the narrative and creativity was the perfect finishing touch to our collaboration with Ubisoft on the launch of Anno 1800.
Biborg offers us a little wink at the end of the film, encrusting the keyart of the collector's edition that was revealed last August, in the hanging artwork of our visionary. Did you notice?
Influencia (FR), CB News (FR), L'ADN (FR), Maieute (FR), AdForum (FR), Strategies (FR).