*this was a hypothetical exercise for an interview
Executive Summary
In 2021, Unity partnered with Amazon Luna, Amazon’s cloud gaming service, to launch the Luna SDK as a Verified Solutions Partner (VSP). The collaboration aimed to provide game developers with streamlined tools for creating high-quality cloud-based games using Unity’s industry-leading engine. The campaign focused on increasing SDK installs and building developer trust, setting the stage for future cloud gaming innovations.
Increase SDK Installs: Drive awareness and downloads of the Luna SDK, with a target conversion rate of at least 25% from install to published game.
Enhance Developer Engagement: Establish trust with developers through educational content and streamlined onboarding experiences.
Expand Market Reach: Leverage Unity’s VSP program to penetrate the cloud gaming market and showcase the SDK’s capabilities
Owned Media: Created a dedicated Luna SDK landing page on Unity’s partner site and published a blog post detailing the partnership. Launched a Unity Learning Series, offering step-by-step tutorials for developers to get started with the SDK.
Paid Media: Implemented a targeted SEM campaign on Google and Bing, focusing on high-intent keywords to capture game studios searching for cloud gaming solutions.
Earned Media: Collaborated with Amazon Luna for a co-branded press release and featured posts on both Unity and Luna blogs, highlighting the value of the partnership.
The campaign successfully established the Luna SDK as a key offering in Unity’s Verified Solutions Partner program. Key performance metrics included:
COVID-19 Restrictions: Limited in-person events and demos, necessitating a pivot to virtual marketing efforts.
Expectation Alignment: Managing developer expectations on SDK capabilities was crucial for retention and adoption. Enhanced communication channels helped address roadblocks during the onboarding process.
Localization Needs: Lower engagement from international Offer Detail Pages (ODPs) suggested a need for more tailored regional marketing strategies in future campaigns.
Effective Educational Content: The Unity Learning Series proved critical in building developer confidence and driving adoption, highlighting the importance of robust educational resources.
B2B Targeting Success: The focus on medium-sized game studios with previous Unity experience resulted in higher conversion rates and user retention.
Collaborative Marketing Approach: The partnership with Amazon Luna demonstrated the value of co-branded content and shared promotional efforts in amplifying reach and engagement.
Despite lower-than-expected claims, the campaign demonstrated the value of in-game promotions and highlighted areas for improvement in partnership alignment and localized marketing strategies. These insights will inform future Prime Gaming initiatives in the casual gaming market.
Executive Summary
Prime Gaming collaborated with Zynga's Words with Friends 2 (WWF2) to enter the casual games market and enhance its relationship with Zynga. The campaign, running from April 27th to July 20th, featured six content drops offering in-game power-ups to attract new and existing Prime members. Despite challenges posed by COVID-19, which limited marketing placements, the campaign garnered 726,476 claims against a forecast of 2.4 million. The campaign highlighted valuable insights for future partnership strategies.
Market Entry: Expand Prime Gaming’s presence in the casual gaming sector.
User Engagement: Drive claims and engagement via exclusive in-game content.
Partnership Growth: Establish a collaborative foundation with Zynga for future campaigns.
Content and Marketing: Six content drops, supported by Twitch Prime Hero Banners, social media ads, and in-game notifications.
Regional Focus: Targeted marketing in the US, UK, CA, AU, and IN.
Paid Media: Shifted to Amazon Display Ads (ADA) to meet Zynga’s install targets, resulting in higher-than-expected CPI ($30-$40).
Claim Data: Total claims of 726,476, broken down as follows:
US: 621,889
UK: 58,041
Canada: 21,169
Australia: 5,740
India: 3,887
Impressions: Leveraged in-game placements and Twitch marketing, but COVID-19 impacted visibility and reach, particularly for international Offer Detail Pages (ODPs).
COVID-19 Restrictions: Limited external marketing channels reduced visibility, especially in non-US markets.
Misaligned Expectations: Developer install targets were ambitious, leading to a pivot mid-campaign.
Low International Engagement: Offer pages in smaller regions saw minimal traffic, suggesting a need for localized marketing focus.
Effective In-Game Marketing: In-game promotions and notifications drove most claims, outperforming external channels.
Audience Expansion Opportunity: Collaborations like the Garth Brooks campaign tapped into new user segments, though exact attribution was unclear.
Recommendations for Future Campaigns:
Align goals with partners early for realistic targets.
Prioritize marketing in high-performing regions and enhance in-game placements.
Refine media strategies to optimize cost-per-install and engagement metrics.
Despite lower-than-expected claims, the campaign demonstrated the value of in-game promotions and highlighted areas for improvement in partnership alignment and localized marketing strategies. These insights will inform future Prime Gaming initiatives in the casual gaming market.
Bungie unveiled its latest project, Marathon, a new live-service FPS, during the PlayStation Showcase. The reveal featured a CGI trailer and an accompanying ViDoc, "Somewhere In The Heavens." This ambitious launch was aimed at reintroducing Marathon as a new, innovative IP while leveraging Bungie’s legacy of AAA FPS development. The campaign incorporated a blend of organic and paid media strategies, supported by a unique Alternate Reality Game (ARG) activation to drive engagement.
Generate Awareness: Position Marathon as a key upcoming title in the competitive FPS market through a high-impact reveal.
Drive Engagement: Utilize creative assets and an interactive ARG to build excitement and grow Marathon’s online presence.
Establish Brand Foundation: Lay the groundwork for Marathon’s future live-service campaigns and community growth.
Creative Assets: The CGI trailer was designed to showcase the unique art style and music, highlighting the creative potential of the game. This was accompanied by a ViDoc that provided deeper insights into the game's concept and development process.
PlayStation Showcase Participation: Marathon’s reveal was strategically placed within the PlayStation Showcase, aiming to capitalize on the event's global reach, which garnered over 6 million English views.
Paid and Organic Media: A combination of paid media, including social ads and YouTube promotions, amplified the visibility of the reveal. Organic efforts were boosted through social media buzz and direct engagement with Bungie’s established fan base.
ARG Activation: A surprise ARG campaign was launched, involving puzzle clues delivered to key creators. This generated significant buzz, leading to the rapid growth of Marathon’s YouTube channel, with a surge in subscribers and engagement.
Video Performance:
CGI Trailer: Achieved 679k organic views and 17.28M paid views, surpassing view benchmarks and competing with top showcase titles like Spider-Man 2.
ViDoc: Generated 87k organic views and 1.37M paid views, with a high completion rate (~60%), indicating strong viewer interest.
Social Engagement:
Ranked #2-#4 in social mentions during the showcase, outperformed by only Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2.
Subscriber growth: Gained 17k+ new subscribers on YouTube within two days, setting a strong foundation for future organic reach.
ARG Success: The ARG activation created a viral moment, driving a surge in channel views and fostering community engagement. The live event attracted over 10k viewers, unlocking exclusive content and energizing the player base.
Reveal Format: The back-to-back trailer format of the PlayStation Showcase limited the impact of new IP announcements. Marathon’s placement among numerous titles diluted its visibility, highlighting the need for more focused reveal strategies in the future.
Trending Issues: Embargo and ad approval delays hindered the ability to trend globally on YouTube, as competing channels like IGN uploaded content earlier, capturing a significant share of organic traffic.
Community Sentiment: While the creative assets were praised, the lack of a single-player campaign and changes from the original trilogy received mixed feedback. The interactive ARG helped mitigate some of the negative sentiment by engaging legacy fans with Marathon’s lore.
Creative Excellence: The positive reception to the trailer’s art style and music underscored the importance of strong creative assets in generating buzz and differentiating the game in a crowded market.
Interactive Engagement: The ARG activation was a standout element, successfully building anticipation and community involvement, showcasing the potential of innovative marketing tactics in live-service game launches.
Strategic Adjustments Needed: The reveal highlighted the importance of timing and control over embargo rules to maximize organic reach. Future campaigns should prioritize flexible embargo strategies and more focused, standalone reveal events.
The Marathon reveal was a significant milestone for Bungie, demonstrating strong creative execution and innovative engagement strategies despite a challenging launch format. The campaign successfully established a foundation for Marathon as a new IP, setting the stage for future growth and community building. The insights gained will inform strategic adjustments for upcoming live-service game launches
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.