Problem Statement
Our internal marketing team identified the opportunity to brand a virtual stadium in Madden NFL 20 during the then upcoming 2019 Madden Championship Series. I was tasked to find where this branding would live in-game during the broadcasts of the tournament.
Live capture of Pizza Hut Stadium branding.
The Madden NFL 20 Championship Series
The first in a reboot around tournament structure for the Madden Competitive Gaming arm of EA. The first tournament to go live was held in Arlington, TX from Aug 30- Sep 1 2019. The format was Head to Head and the total prize pool was for $190,000 for this first leg of the competition.
This event was the first in a series of ongoing tournaments leading up to the finals, the Madden 20 Bowl, in April.
Madden NFL 20 Championship Series Schedule.
Kick off at the debut of Pizza Hut Stadium, during the Madden NFL 20 Classic. Skimbo Vs TMOORE
Design Work
The placements chosen to go into development were the Stadium for initial mocks included the large ribbon banners, the end zone branded, a name plate on the mezzanine and banner ribbons along the stadium seating.
The proposed placements all made it through approvals except the end zone branding for technical reasons. See below for mock ups and live captures.
MOCK UP: Large Ribbons, name plate, and seating ribbons shown.
MOCK UP: End Zone grass and banner branding.
LIVE: Capture of the Large Ribbon and Stadium Branding.
Public Reception & Next Steps
The execution was widely covered and praised by news outlets for being a pioneering marketing campaign in the digital space. A brand like Pizza Hut conventionally could not afford to buy their own stadium. But with the innovative minds pushing the limits of convention, we were able to bring a brand that is relevant and motivated to a space that will now be much sought after. The potential for growth as a key marketing placement, opens up a world of options for publishers looking to monetize their spaces in an endemic way.
