As competitors chased casual gamers with motion controls, hardcore gamers were being overlooked. We set out to reignite their passion and reestablish PlayStation as a brand built for them, paving the way for the next generation.
“To Michael” is a film where iconic game characters pay tribute to a gamer, thanking him for everything he’s done.
“Michael” is PlayStation’s most successful video ever, earning over 5x the views of any previous release, with the film itself surpassing 10.3M views on YouTube alone.
We gave gamers the chance to take their place on the wall alongside Michael by uploading their name and photo to generate a personalized version of the film they could share.
Bringing our film to life meant partnering with 13 game developers, earning their trust to adapt iconic game characters into live action.
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Copywriter: Josh Fell
Art Director: Ryan Dickey
Creative Director / Copy: Jason Elm
Creative Director / Art: Michael Bryce
CCO: Mark Hunter
Producer: Marisa Waser
Account: Matt Small
Account: Leigh McCarthy
Director: Simon McQuoid
Editor: Steve Gandolfi
VFX: The Mill Los Angeles
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We reignited demand for the aging PS3 gaming system with no new product news by replacing a product slogan with a rallying cry. “Michael” put gamers at the center, generating over 20 million views and helping drive a 64% lift in Black Friday sales, despite no new product news.