02/12/08

Future, the special-interest media group has teamed up with games giant Sony Computer Entertainment, to create an exclusive newspaper set in the alternative 1950s timeline of new Playstation 3 game Resistance 2.

A highly collectable and engaging product, the concept was created by Future360 – Future’s in-house creative solutions team – to enlist gamers and film enthusiasts in ‘the resistance’ with calls-to-action integrated into the editorial content of the newspaper.

Distributed throughout early December, the 8pp broadsheet newspaper engages with the readership across Future’s games, films and technology titles, and will be inserted into 9 Future titles including Total Film, SFX, PlayStation Magazine 3, Official PlayStation Magazine and T3 with a total distribution of 550,000 copies.

Copies will also be distributed in branded dumpbins at cinemas around the country, and Sony will be using the striking creative as a cover-wrap in regional and local news papers.

Content of the newspaper includes reportage about the ‘Chimera’ attack; a call to action from the President; history of the game (in the context of the Resistance 2 world); 1950s style faux advertising; letters, horoscope and crossword.

Phil Lynch, Product Marketing Manger for Sony Computer Entertainment said:

"A large part of our campaign objectives were to extend the reach and appeal of Resistance 2 to more than those who’d purchased Resistance: Fall of Man. With this in mind and coupled with the game’s rich 1950s American twisted history backdrop, we partnered with Future in creating an engaging and relevant 8 page authentic newspaper of the time.

Future showed a great understanding of the game, the target audience and of course the medium. The newspaper fitted beautifully with the rest of our campaign and was relevant, timely and great value for money in terms of a media buy"

Poorvi Smith, Advertising Director for Future360 said:

"It would have been easy for us just to use our strength in the games market to promote this campaign. However, we recognised the opportunity to reach both hard core and casual gamers alike - our portfolio enabled us to target young men in the games, film and technology markets in an engaging and efficient manner."