Has DAVID Cracked the Code to Effective Gaming Advertising?
A month or so ago, Finnish mobile game giant Supercell employed the help of John Cena to announce a ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ takeover inside its hit game ‘Brawl Stars’.
The launch commercial featured the WWE legend relaxing on a yacht, enjoying a round of ‘Brawl Stars’. In celebrating a victory, Cena’s phone slips from his hand and plunges into the open water. Sinking to the ocean floor, viewers watch as the two worlds of ‘Brawl Stars’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ collide.
The spot was created by DAVID, which has a strong-ongoing relationship with Supercell - the Ogilvy affiliated agency has produced more than 15 campaigns in the last 12 months for the gaming brand, including the notably successful 'Payback Time with Haaland'. Other executions have involved real-time reactions that tie in-game experiences to live events, such as the Olympics or ‘House of the Dragon’, and collaborations with Chess.com and the UFC.
DAVID has a history of creating gaming advertising that resonates - much of its work for Activision also proved extremely popular. LBB's Addison Capper chats with André Toledo, CCO of DAVID New York, to find out more.
LBB> To start, can you give me some backstory to DAVID's history in gaming advertising, its success and where it all came from?
André> DAVID has a strong history in gaming. One of our most iconic campaigns was the ‘Stevenage Challenge’ with Burger King, where we saw the impact of meaningful brand interactions in the gaming world. We've also worked on projects like Tony Hawk’s ‘Scratch Boards’ for Activision, a campaign celebrating the 10th anniversary of ‘Candy Crush Saga’, and creating the first in-game charity extraction challenge for the Call of Duty Endowment. Since last year, we’ve teamed up with Supercell in our New York office to create campaigns for ‘Clash of Clans’, ‘Clash Royale’, and ‘Brawl Stars’, continuing our journey in gaming advertising.
LBB> What are your general thoughts on the role of gaming advertising today? Considering so many people watch streamers actually playing a game, how does that affect your approach to marketing? Is it more about a feeling versus actively showing the game?
André> Gaming advertising today plays a unique and increasingly powerful role in reaching audiences. Unlike traditional advertising, which interrupts or overlays content, effective gaming ads are embedded within the gaming experience itself, making it easier for the audience to embrace and connect with.
LBB> With that in mind, how do you treat gaming brands in terms of building out their tone of voice, etc.?
André> Each game has its unique audience and tone, and we’ve learned that understanding and respecting these differences is essential. We love to do in-depth research, diving into the game and its community to understand their insights — what they love, what they find funny or surprising, their favourite characters, the ones they want to know more about, and even what they don’t like. Truly knowing the audience is the only way to create campaigns that engage with them and feel natural within the world the game has built.
LBB> What was this process like with Supercell? What were the early days of the partnership like and how would you now define that vibe and tone of voice?
André> We began working with Supercell about a year-and-a-half ago, with our first project being an exciting partnership between ‘Clash of Clans’, ‘Clash Royale’, and Chess.com. The process has been highly collaborative, with Supercell providing valuable guidance on tone, characters and world-building, which helped us create campaigns that feel authentic, are fun, and engage the community to achieve their goals.
By now, everyone at DAVID is not only a huge fan of their games but also very familiar with the universe they've created. However, close collaboration with their entire team remains key to making great campaigns.
LBB> Gaming is an inherently creative industry. What kind of opportunities do you feel this presents when it comes to advertising its products?
André> I believe gaming is one of the most fun and creative industries. The team behind each game is likely a mix of the most creative and interesting minds, which makes advertising a game a real challenge - it has to live up to the standards of the game itself. So, we treat every brief as a major challenge.
LBB> Gaming, as a product, is also something that people actively want to engage with. How does this influence your approach?
André> Working with Supercell has opened us up to a new world of interaction within in-game experiences. Whenever we work on a campaign, we connect with their team to explore ways to bring elements of the campaign directly into the game. Whether it’s a teaser event that sparks curiosity in the community or showcasing our campaign within the gameplay itself, the game isn’t just another media channel, it’s likely the most important one.
LBB> There's a really rich amount of creative from Supercell. Can you tell us a bit about the kind of content you have created (and will launch soon), and what is driving it all?
André> In May, we launched a unique partnership with Erling Haaland for ‘Clash of Clans’. Haaland was represented as an in-game character, transforming into the iconic Barbarian King. Alongside this, we introduced 'Payback Time', a campaign aimed at Haaland’s haters, inviting them to raid his village for a chance at virtual revenge (Haaland has been a huge fan of ‘Clash of Clans’ for 10 years). Other football legends, including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kun Agüero, were also part of the campaign.
In September, ‘Brawl Stars’ celebrated SpongeBob’s 25th anniversary with an in-game takeover, bringing the iconic world of Bikini Bottom to its gameplay. We collaborated with them on a campaign featuring a film starring John Cena and an OOH campaign in New York, LA, London, and other major cities.
Also in September, ‘Clash Royale’ launched an update for two of its biggest characters: PEKKA and Mega Knight. To promote the 'heaviest mobile fight', we launched the Heavy Weight Case, a 50-pound phone case. Eddie Hall, the former World’s Strongest Man, joined us to challenge fans with the case.
In October, we celebrated Halloween with ‘Clash Royale’ in an unusual way, playing with the horror genre for the first time. The concept, 'What if Clash Royale were a cursed object?' led to a long-form film that dared players to 'lose... if they dare,' providing chills and thrills for millions of fans.
Most recently, on November 1st, the Hammer Jam hammer went missing, and everyone in the village became a suspect. We created 'Hammerless', the first-ever true crime podcast set in a fantasy world, with four episodes unfolding the case and engaging fans to share theories that could help solve it. The campaign gained over 3 million listens and generated thousands of fan theories.
LBB> From a media standpoint, what do you feel works particularly well when it comes to gaming?
André> Strategic media placements that feel natural in the gaming world are essential. Being present where players are already engaged, like on Twitch or YouTube, helps us amplify reach and build a stronger connection with players.
LBB> How important are influencer partnerships in this realm?
André> Influencers are essential for amplifying our campaigns, as their connection with the audience is invaluable. We make them a core part of every campaign, helping us connect with the community. Their authenticity makes the campaign more likely to be embraced.
LBB> What's coming in the future from the DAVID x Supercell partnership?
André> Our partnership with Supercell is ongoing, with new releases on the horizon. We’re looking to push boundaries, creating even more immersive experiences that let players deeply engage with the game and the incredible universes Supercell has crafted across their games.
