Key Takeaways

• Immediate’s ambitious BBC TopGear x PUBG x Aston Martin partnership brought together an iconic editorial brand, a much-loved video game, a classic car marque, a Formula 1 World Champion and a gaming influencer. 

• Immediate’s Imagine studio recruited Damon Hill and WackyJacky101 to celebrate the PUBG x Aston Martin collaboration with a boundary-pushing Top Gear-inspired video shot at Silverstone.
• The campaign was a great success with a 436% KPI delivery for content page views on topgear.com, 3.4m video views across Immediate channels and an 18% increase of in-game sales.
• Not only was the delivery of the campaign itself a success, but the entire project management process was, too – not least because of the challenging time frame.
• The success of this campaign proves that IM has a right to play in the gaming space and can bridge the gap between mainstream and gaming audiences, creating authentic and unique experiences that go beyond genres. 

One page summary

Client Quote 

“PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ marketing activation video, featuring former Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill, was a great success, as it enhanced the awareness of the game’s collaboration with Aston Martin across different entertainment fields. The video captured the attention of both PUBG and motorsport fans, resulting in an 18% increase of in-game sales and a robust community engagement.”

Justine Lallemand-Auger, Head of Marketing & Communications Americas & EU, Krafton

The Challenge

Immediate was briefed by PUBG creators Krafton to create a video that would drive awareness and excitement around the fact that, for the first time, players were able to drive the DBX707 – Aston’s 700HP SUV – within the PUBG game.

The goal was to showcase this ultimate genre crossover to topgear.com users, bringing together and inspiring both gamers and supercar fans. Immediate looked to breach the barrier between gaming and real-world racing, by capturing a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a gaming influencer. 

The Plan/Execution

Filming at the famous Silverstone racetrack, Immediate got F1 Damon Hill to put the Aston Martin DBX707 through its paces, accompanied by gaming influencer WackyJacky101. Damon then challenged Jacky to take the wheel, before assessing his efforts. The finished video is a homage to classic Top Gear style and was promoted across the TopGear audience and amplified across social and YouTube. They also drove CTAs via high-impact video skins on topgear.com across their first party audience segments. 

From briefing to final edit, the video was produced in just a few weeks – including sourcing the talent and location and all the logistical challenges that come with such a shoot – representing a significant step change in ambition and complexity for Immediate’s Imagine studio.

It’s also a great example of how Immediate’s passion-led audiences can be relevant for gaming advertisers, as they leveraged high levels of brand trust and equity to produce incredible engagement and reach for Krafton.

Results

• 3.4m video views across Immediate channels 
• 436% KPI delivery for content page views on topgear.com 
• 300k video views across multiple YouTube accounts 
• CTRs exceeded benchmarks across the campaign. On topgear.com we saw a 2.5% CTR on display activations; well above the 0.8% benchmark. The top performing ad generated a CTR of 2.72%. 
• +18% increase in in-game sales (PUBG’s internal UA data). 
• Thanks to these results and the client experience the team provided, Immediate and Krafton are currently in talks about a follow-up campaign.