Best Sports Online Video

The launch of a new gaming platform happens roughly every five years and through research, Heat learned that consumers typically buy three software games with their new console: a shooter, an action game and a sports game. With the release of Microsoft’s Xbox One in November 2013, EA SPORTS’ challenge was to ensure their Madden 25 game was the top choice among early adopters rushing out to buy the new console and subsequent games. Moreover, Madden 25 was being re-released specifically for the Gen-4 Xbox One, and on the same day as the console. With every other video game publisher also scrambling to get gamers’ attention and the knowledge that consumers would make the decision of what games to buy based upon online buzz and industry chatter – rather than which game had the best graphics or who ran the biggest ad campaign – Heat needed to look beyond the typical advertising playbook to be the top sports game purchased in that “3-pack." As a result, Heat capitalized on the numerous stereotypes and personalities that are inherent in every Madden game player, a subculture of football game-playing fanatics, and developed the "Madden Stereotypes" video. Heat partnered with the “Dude Perfect” YouTube channel to debut the video on November 18, 2013 and watched the spot quickly gain more than two million views; there are now more than 2.6 million views as of January 31, 2014. Likewise, the video was covered by numerous sports and gaming news sites and was widely shared within EA SPORTS’ target audience, generating significant online buzz. (Sales figures for the November 2013 release are still being calculated as of January 31, 2014).

Contributors:

Creative Director:	Warren Cockrel
Creative Director:	Anna Rowland
Senior Art Director:	Mark Potoka
Senior Copywriter:	James King
Business Affairs Director:	Russ Nadler
Account Director:	Eddie Garabedian
Account Manager:	Graeme Lee-Wingate
Digital Strategist:	Cory O'Brien
Dude Perfect:	Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Coby Cotton, Cory Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, Panda

HEAT

Location: USA