Monday, November 7, 2011

There's a soldier in Jonah Hill

With the release of the newest Call of Duty game, a proper advertisement is in order. Modern Warfare 3 under Activision, created a commercial that is aiming to make this their biggest game release yet. Appealing to their loyal "gamers", they are also trying to reel in many new customers. The ad also recalls the slogan it used in past advertisements, "There's a soldier in all of us".



From Adweek, "When Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel showed up in Call of Duty: Black Ops, it seemed both pleasantly incongruous and entirely apt. They brought star power without it seeming gratuitous, or breaking the internal logic of the ad. They, like us, simply escaped and became soldiers." Activision, with their new explosive trailer directed by Peter Berg, brings in Jonah Hill of Knocked Up fame, together with Sam Worthington from Avatar in an action-packed, dramatic trailer. Worthington is described as "the Vet" while Hill is perceived as "the n00b", or newbie. The ad starts off with Hill following Worthington through different cities such as New York, Moscow, and Paris, trying to learn the ropes. We have humorous dialogue paired with intense shooting action. Of course, in the end, Hill becomes a seasoned vet and Worthington is surprisingly impressed.

It is a shot in the right direction if Activision wants to truly appeal to both demographics- the "vets" of the Call of Duty franchise, and the "n00bs" or new players. It's interesting and funny, and they want you to know that YOU can get in on the action, no matter what your skill level or knowledge. For a company that has, in the terms of video games, an older franchise, it is important to appeal to new customers. The involvement of these actors, who are suppose to represent both demographic of gamers, creates a fun and inviting atmosphere that is appealing to both. Would you agree?

Source: Adweek

1 comment:

  1. This is a great way to attract a new audience to Call of Duty, who might otherwise be intimidated by "vets" to try it. It's attention-getting, funny, and relatable to gamers and those who want to try games.

    This could also send a message to "vets" that they should be more welcoming to the so-called "n00bs" in order to make their gaming community more attractive to newcomers.

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