In May 2008, leading video-game producer, Activision, went to war with its flagship game ‘Call of Duty: World at War’ (COD). Activision was losing it's market share to arch rival Electronic Arts and the team’s remit was to launch a COD offensive in November – the most crowded time of the year – and help Activision claw back share by winning the Christmas sales war. We had to do this against a backdrop of consumer and media scepticism concerning the quality of COD games. The campaign reached over 316 million people with 200 stories and 137 reviews. Our coverage included 30 minutes of editorial airtime, over ten consecutive days before launch, on Chris Moyles’ BBC Radio 1 show. Our ‘tease, buzz, reveal’ approach:• pushed COD to the top of the UK games chart in launch week• made COD the bookies’ (Ladbrokes, Paddypower) favourite for Christmas N˚1 • helped COD break the record for the longest tenure at the top of the UK all-format chart and secure a place in history as the world’s third biggest-selling game to date The game also won an award in the gaming industry ‘Oscars’, the coveted Golden Joysticks “One to Watch (2009)”.

Celebrity endorsement:Lacking movie talent, enlisted two real-life Bonds: former MI6 agent, Harry Ferguson, and counter-terrorism expert Will Geddes. Several sessions later, the two could not only play the game, but also relate its story, action sequences and weaponry to thrilling, real-life incidents. Influencer event:On a gloomy London day, we held an electrifying 007-themed, hands-on media and influencer gaming event – the first chance to play the game. We offered full access to the game’s developer, enabling journalists to play with and against the creators.

The ‘ace-in-the-hole’ of our campaign was the game’s technology platform. Our ‘new technology’ story helped convince consumers that Bond gaming had finally changed for the better. We built mass market appeal by explaining how Activision transformed Daniel Craig’s flesh and blood into pixels and polygons as a hook for the bigger ‘new technology’ story.

Over 285 million reached with 172 stories.• £466,235 AVE against a fee investment of £40,000 • 109 reviews (target of 50) • Average review score: 76% (target 60%)• 63 items of non-review coverage (target 30)• “Based on Call of Duty 4 gaming engine” message into 100% of reviews against a target of 75%TV advertising campaign: “This is a killer piece of gaming”- The Independent and “This one is a classy affair, easily the best since GoldenEye”- The Sunday Times. Kate Ward, PR manager, Activision: “The team delivered over and above our expectations. Getting double-page spreads in national papers and consumer lifestyle magazines for a video game is incredibly difficult, but the team took gaming coverage to another level”.