Creative Execution

Leading up to the Australian Open, users were prompted to download the app to become part of a world-first gaming experience during the two week tournament. Viewers held and swung their phone like a real tennis racquet. The game engaged players with striking visuals, sound and vibrations to simulate the on-court experience. Every time “Game On” ads played you had the chance to play. It was playable through any screen with audio; TV, PC/tablet, and the on-court experience recreated in shopping malls and experiential zones. Social integration and a competitive daily leaderboard kept players coming back again and again.

Our world-first Game was a smash hit! 193,000 downloads took it to #1 on both iTunes and Playstore charts! Topped Games charts-crushing Candy Crush, and making Angry Birds angrier. Millions and millions of swings. Whilst promoted only in Australia, it went viral-played in 111 countries. Since the competition ended it’s been played by 35,000 more people – attesting to it being an addictive game. Write ups on tech sites confirmed our world-leading innovation; “10/10” – Gamespot, “Innovative technology served at a perfect place and time” Bannerblog.co.uk, “Engaging and Creative” MobileMarketer.com. Generated $2 million+ of social media and editorial coverage. Game On connected with tennis fans on a level traditional TV spots had never. Our game led to 79% of players more positive about Kia and culminating in a record month for Kia car sales. Game On is rolling out globally in Tennis, Soccer and many more. Game On!

We were challenged to maximise the impact of Kia’s Australian Open Tennis sponsorship, by changing the tennis viewing experience, and transforming passive viewers into active participants. We discovered that unless fans sat courtside they had no real sense of the power and precision required to perform in the professional game. To transform the experience we wanted to get people physically participating and engaged with Kia through a unique, fun and interactive experience. Our Game put viewers directly in the firing line against the world’s fastest server, Sam Groth (263 kph). Playing against an actual Tennis champion at real speed and during a TV broadcast had never been done before. We combined complex technologies including cross-device audio watermarking with gyroscope and accelerometer to build a new gaming experience called “Game On”; a world-first mobile game that turned players’ phones into virtual tennis racquet.