To help launch FIFA18, we worked with EA Sports to hide a new skill move called ‘El Tornado’ in the game. A film about real Ronaldo learning the virtual trick broke, kicking off a search for its secret combo. Once discovered, it exploded into football and culture. Our audience put their own spin on it, creating trick uploads and how-to videos, which led to real-life trick attempts, memes, and a smash single by Run the Jewels. When pro footballers began to demand their in-game player do the trick, we launched ‘El Tornado Certified’ – if players posted video evidence of their ability to do the move, we rewarded them with the skill in-game. All of this proved that the virtual game can influence the real world, breaking every franchise engagement record along the way.

The campaign was executed globally across multiple platforms in the week before the game launch, centering around the trick hidden in the console game itself. A TVC and online film full of influencers ranging from pro footballers, to Youtubers, skillers, digital artists and musicians, challenged our audience to find the hidden combo and experience the move for themselves. PUT YOUR SPIN ON IT led to over 50k+ trick uploads. After launch, hundreds of user-generated Youtube tutorials helped newcomers to pull it off, weekly El Tornado goal highlights videos celebrated those that pulled it off best. Real life attempts were showcased on Instagram. When Pro-Footballers, pressured by fans, demanded that EA allow their virtual-selves to do the move, we launched ‘El Tornado Certified’. Footballers who posted video evidence of their El Tornado ability to their social feeds, received FIFA18 footage confirming their upgraded in-game character.

50K+ trick uploads

304M+ views of film

+244% earned media coverage

+250% launch conversation and social mentions

42M El Tornado GIFS posted

+20% new players recruited

Broke all FIFA franchise engagement records.

FIFA is one the world’s most-loved entertainment platforms. But to reach new audiences beyond football fans alone, we needed to attract casual gamers, engaging them in an unexpected new way. So we changed the console game itself, by creating a new virtual trick called ‘El Tornado’, which was hidden it in the game for the world to discover, then challenged the world’s best footballers to pull it off for real.

We were targeting young people across the world. They all shared a passion for football and football culture and we wanted to use that to bring them into FIFA18.

The entertainment they chose was based on wanting to connect with friends, so they would listen to, watch and play the things that are most talked about by their friends and celebrity heroes.

Our goal was therefore to make FIFA the biggest talking point in football and gaming culture. To achieve this, we wanted to change the game in a way that could influence and fuel debate across real football, FIFA18 and social channels

By creating the hottest new skill move in football and FIFA, we wanted to change the way the game was played and shared. Giving an extra challenge to fans and pro players and offering a new achievement worth bragging about.

FIFA is one of the most popular computer games in the world. Already known to football fans across the globe, to expand FIFA’s reach further, we needed to attract casual gamers – those who only buy games their friends, family and idols talk about. Therefore, the only way to convince these people to buy the new FIFA18 game, was to make it the hottest topic in the social groups and newsfeeds of our audience.