Video game adaptations continue to look like a cheat code for getting high viewer ratings for streaming.
Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of the video game series Fallout was released on April 10 and quickly became the streamer's second most-watched title of all time, with 65 million viewers in the first 16 days, according to the company. recorded more viewers.
The post-apocalyptic series, which has already been greenlit for a second season, is the latest example of a successful video game adaptation in the streaming world.Last year, the HBO original series the last of us has quickly become one of the most-watched shows on the platform, but Netflix's witcherBased on a series of fantasy novels by Andrzej Sapkowski and the first to be adapted into a video game series, it was Netflix's most-watched original season 1 release when it first premiered in late 2019.
For Prime Video, the series was the highest-profile release to date in an ad-supported slot that was made widely available to U.S. Prime Video users in January, and there was plenty of marketing muscle to support the series. Amazon's focus on experiential activations targeted at the gaming community has allowed it to attract not only viewers, but also advertisers interested in getting in on the action.
“This was a very strong marketing campaign, and we used a lot of different avenues to connect with fans who are familiar with the game, both gamers who have played the game and regular gamers who have never played it. fall outBut we were familiar with the IP,” Jared Goldsmith, head of series marketing at Amazon MGM Studios, told Marketing Brew.
When building around marketing fall outGoldsmith said his team focused on conveying to consumers the same feeling they get when playing the games in the series and watching the show itself.
“It's very welcoming. It's humorous and dark and twisted and adventurous in all the best ways. That's what we focused on in our marketing campaign,” he told us.
A core part of Amazon's marketing strategy fall out He said that is due to activations in gaming spaces around the world. This includes a snippet of the show premiering at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August 2023, and then at his CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil late last year, in an underground vault that will appear in the series. Contains activation based on Recently, fall out came to SXSW in March, with an experiential activation built around the show's wasteland.
Additionally, the marketing team worked directly with creators in the gaming space. That includes his Amazon-owned Twitch, where he collaboratively streams the real-time reactions of different gamers as they watch the series. They also partnered with Fallout game maker Bethesda and Microsoft to give Prime subscribers the ability to get a copy of the game. fallout 76 Goldsmith said it will be available for free through Prime Gaming for Xbox and PC.
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There were also branded merchandise to support the series, including apparel and Arizona Energy Drink branded cans, said Jamie Campell, head of consumer product licensing at Amazon MGM Studios.
And of course, social media was also part of the strategy, especially since Amazon removed all episodes of the show at once, Goldsmith said.
“From a marketing perspective, it's our job to drive the conversation, maintain it, and continue to introduce new audiences who may be taking a wait-and-see approach or are less familiar with it,” Goldsmith said. Told. “[We’re] I'm really trying to create a sense of FOMO. ”
For brands, sticking with video game adaptations can be an attractive option, said Carly Costantino, senior vice president of media and head of Northeast for Publicis Razorfish. One of the big reasons, she said, is because they often have a built-in fan base, which can increase initial buzz and viewership.
Video game adaptations could also help brands target specific demographics, particularly young men, said Dave Morgan, founder and executive chairman of TV advertising platform Simulmedia. told Brew. Traditionally, this audience has been more difficult to target with entertainment programming.
“You can find some of those in sports, but it's hard to find them in entertainment programming. That's one area where crossover with gaming presents an opportunity,” he told Marketing Brew. Told.
But a show's sustained excitement is often only as good as the show itself, and “at the end of the day, it's the quality of the show that pays off,” Costantino said. “If it's a hit, you can have great success as an affiliated brand. “I think this is an opportunity for advertisers who may choose to come on as early partners on the show,” she says. I did.
“There are a lot of unknowns at first, but the rewards can be incredible if you ride the wave of success,” she says. “If it doesn't work out, it's a big investment that may not pay off.” But for more risk-averse advertisers, “timing is definitely something to consider,” she adds. Ta. “If you come in after you’re a little more established, [be of] advantage. It might not be that dangerous since you know what the consequences will be. ”
