'The Guild' Blurs Reality and Gaming in Bold Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Launch

A new technology company called The Guild launched this week with a film campaign titled 'Don’t Fear Tomorrow' and dedicated placements in Wired, Forbes, Tech Brew, and more.

Coinciding with its launch, The Guild went right at its competition with attack OOH ads across Silicon Valley, featuring provocative headlines including:

“You don’t need more friends, you need more security”

“The biggest lie tech ever told is that it’s on your side”

“We’re not owned by a tech billionaire, are you?”

The debut sparked conversation fast – influencers like The Financial Audit and Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan weighed in, Kalshi launched a custom meme market, and The Guild’s CTO even staged a public IPO announcement with a film shot by Lado at UnderWonder.

But none of it was real. The Guild is the in-game robotics company at the heart of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. In the new game, The Guild develops robotics to better society, and their CEO Emma Kagan claims to be humanity’s last line of defence against this emerging threat.

The multi-platform stunt from Activision– conceived and executed by 72andSunny Los Angeles in collaboration with Mutiny, who built The Guild’s immersive digital presence – blurred the lines between fiction and reality, pulling audiences into the Black Ops 7 universe ahead of the upcoming fall launch.

“As we ramp up to the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, we set out to create something as bold and thought-provoking as the game itself. Set in 2035, it draws on themes of technology, robotics, and the military-industrial complex, amplifying the tension and intrigue that define the Black Ops experience. We believe it will be one of our most impactful and talked-about campaigns yet,” remarked Tyler Bahl, CMO, Activision

"The world stands at a crossroads, where technology could be humanity’s salvation or merely its self-destruct button. This campaign locks eyes with that paradox, confronting the greatest fear of all… The unknown,” commented Zach Hilder, executive creative director, 72andSunny Los Angeles