Picture your favorite… thing. Maybe it’s a comic book. A short story. A game. And then picture… someone’s making that into a show or movie. That thing. Your thing. That you knew everything about. No pressure for them, right?
However, it is possible to get the world excited about a beloved property that’s taking on a new shape. As we’ve learned here at MOCEAN, intellectual property that spans different mediums can become even more beloved as it transforms its… form.
Honoring the Source Material
When we’re marketing a new show or movie, we always put pressure on ourselves to do right by the story. We need to boil down the most compelling aspect of a product, and turn it into a can’t-miss experience for viewers. In the case of existing IP, there’s even more pressure to get it right. Fans tend to come to the space with a negative skew, because they’ve seen so many previous IP adaptations fall short of what they were hoping for. So, our first task is to manage expectations.
Recently, MOCEAN’s strategy and creative teams were tasked with bringing the new live-action Halo series to life (set to premiere March 24th on Paramount+). It was a unique challenge, given that fans of Halo were in the first-person seat of the action for many years. They were in control of a main character, best known as a hero of few words. So a 9-episode TV series, featuring full episodes of dialogue, could be seen as a departure from what they were used to.
Our task was to let viewers know that there would still be elements from the game that they would notice and love, without giving too much else away. Of course, this took extensive consideration and research. We identified certain insider aspects of the game that folks could latch onto and be excited to see more of. Unsurprisingly, this element was Master Chief: the way viewers feel about the mysterious and grandiose nature of the character they once played as. We took this insight and ran with it, creating a largely Master Chief-focused campaign that resonated with franchise loyalists and newcomers alike. Our strategy team, in collaboration with Paramount+ and our in-house creatives, added shape and texture to the core campaign narrative by leveraging an extensive knowledge of the IP, while the creative team brought it to life through an anticipatory structure with key visuals, music and sound design. The results speak for themselves.
Creating New Fandom
While the current fans of the IP are certainly the loudest voices on the internet, they’re not the only ones out there. Whenever we’re marketing a new adaptation of a certain piece of IP: from a comic book to a fairy tale, it’s important to opt for the broadest recognizability, so as not to alienate any audience.
For Halo, this meant approaching our work through the lens of how best to draw in multiple audiences to the series. We knew we’d need to excite both new viewers and super fans, but also, even within the Halo fan base, we found a wide range of emotional drivers that led to passion for the Halo experience. To some, it’s all about the hero’s journey. To others, a futuristic space adventure or a political drama. Getting in deep and considering all of these points of view helped us appeal to the widest range of audiences.
User Experience
Fundamentally, when marketing an IP that was once a game, there is also the challenge of agency. A game allows a person to put themselves in the shoes of a character. They decide the next moves, and are the showrunner of their own experience. In the case of Halo (the series), fans were no longer Master Chief. That role now belonged to an actor which left one-time players watching him make choices they had no control over.
This is why transforming the medium isn’t as simple as marketing a sequel or a reboot. You’re getting folks to take on a new user journey. Getting them to accept this more passive experience is one of the key strategic elements we address in our marketing: a slow easing-out of the drivers’ seat, and into a more passive position.
How Not To Fail
Let’s face it: it doesn’t work every time. More often than not, folks will turn on a film adaptation of their favorite IP. The key, in short: is to have great content. We’re lucky enough at MOCEAN to work with clients who produce top-notch work we’re all proud to help get out into the world.
Recently, we worked with Riot Games to help get the world excited about Arcane, a Netflix series based on Riot Games League of Legend. Since going to market, it’s received 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with high viewership marks. Arcane set a precedent here: that transforming mediums can be done well, and appeal to a wide audience of devoted players and fans.There’s a whole universe around League of Legends, but the series takes the time to delve into the individual characters and stories. It allows viewers to be brought into the lore, which stokes excitement, but the series really uses the streaming medium in all the right ways - character based storytelling.
Future Adaptations
Moving forward, we’re expecting to see more properties expand outwards and take different forms. With such a deep well of gaming IP to draw on, the opportunity to dive deeper into canon is something streamers are not going to want to pass up. And something fans will begin asking for: this opportunity to take their gaming experiences to the next level.
You can learn more about our work on Arcane and Halo on MOCEANLA.com.