Talk To Me horror game on Fortnite proves metaverse marketing is not quite dead
A zombie-shooting Fortnite activation for horror film Talk To Me suggests that metaverse marketing might not be dead and buried.
Talk To Me is released at the end of the month / A24
Buzzy, spooky flick Talk To Me won’t just be a cinematic experience, but a gaming one as well.
A Talk To Me themed survival game has been added to Fortnite via another title already on the platform, Deadpines: Zombie Survival.
The suspenseful horror game features several scenes from the upcoming movie as players battle to fight the undead in a haunted house.
The activation was devised and created by the film’s UK distributors, Altitude, Havas Entertainment and Gamefam, the developer behind Deadpines: Zombie survival. The film’s directors, Michael and Danny Phillippou, were also involved in creative development. A24 is releasing the film the United States.
In-game billboards are set to advertise the film to Fortnite players while a more traditional out-of-home (OOH) campaign takes place to capture the attention of non-gamers.
Lia Devlin, managing director, Altitude Distribution, said: “To get audiences excited for our release, we set out to create an immersive, world-first experience that allows people to encounter the movie’s terrifying concept for themselves, in an environment we know they're spending their time.
“The Talk to Me game on Fortnite Creative promises horror fans heart-thumping scares and mess-with-your-mind moments with unexpected interactions and terrifying brushes with the dead – an experience that all horror fans live for, and the perfect path for audiences to discover the movie and then see it on the big screen.”
Robyn Flowers, client partner, Havas Entertainment said the activation could help Altitude “disrupt” cinema marketing for the horror genre. TGI Research survey data conducted prior to the campaign suggested a decent overlap between horror fans and gamers, with 45% of 18-29 year olds expressing “strong” interest in both media.
“The horror film category is notoriously tricky to gain cut-through, that’s why it’s critical to disrupt and entertain. Our ambitious integration with Fortnite Creative puts Altitude on the hype train in the lead up to release to meet horror fans where they reside.
“Working with streamers enables Altitude to naturally show the film and game integration and tap into steamers’ audiences in an authentic and engaging way driving awareness and consideration of the film.”
Ricardo Briceno, chief business officer at developer Gamefam, said: “There is no more authentic match for bloodthirsty zombies in Deadpines than an activation with the severed hand from ‘Talk to Me,’ and that’s why we’re so confident it’ll bring an awesome of mix of joy and jumpscares to Fortnite players.
"Simply put, the opportunity for movies and other media to extend beyond the big screen and into culture, including the metaverse, has never been greater, and the evolution of Fortnite Creative has opened doors to push the boundaries on this deeply tailored integration.”