Movistar’s ‘This is Not a Game’ short film alerts young gamers to online dangers
A seven-minute short film of people portraying video game characters emphasizes the necessity of a safe digital environment for minors.
Movistar, a major wireless provider serving Spain and several Hispanic-American countries, has launched an unconventional awareness campaign in Mexico highlighting the risks kids face when interacting with unknown online profiles in video games.
Titled ‘This Is Not a Game,’ the campaign employs an interesting creative approach to get its point across. Human actors imitate the somewhat uncanny and unnatural mannerisms of non-playable characters, or ’NPCs’ as gamers know them.
The work advocates for a safer gaming environment for children. According to the Executive Secretariat of the National System for Comprehensive Protection of Girls, Boys, and Adolescents, over 75% of the online video game profiles that interact with minors belong to strangers. This poses predatory risks like grooming, human trafficking, forced labor and kidnapping.
“At Movistar, we recognize the power of technology to generate more human connections. Through ‘This Is Not a Game,’ we seek to raise awareness in society about the risks existing in the world of video games,” said Fernanda Pérez, head of brand and integrated marketing communications. “We invite players and caregivers of minors to take control and get involved to detect and prevent risks associated with online gaming interactions. People give meaning to technology, and with information, we can use it responsibly.”
‘This Is Not a Game’ joins Movistar’s roster of awareness campaigns aimed at addressing cultural issues in the digital realm. These include ‘Disconnected,’ which promoted unplugging from the digital world, and ‘Love Story,’ which brought attention to the predatory risks of fake profiles on social media.
The creative agency, VML Mexico, ideated and developed the campaign.
“‘This is Not A Game’ is a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the importance of a safe digital world,” said Luis Madruga Enriquez, chief creative officer of VML Mexico. “We have been building meaningful campaigns for years, with the goal of promoting a safe environment by addressing cultural issues.”
Enriquez went on to say that the campaign aims to spotlight not just organized crime recruiting children through gaming but also the broader range of digital platforms where children consume content.
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