HOW WE SPED SONIC TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS
Marketing Campaign
HOW DO YOU HARNESS A LITTLE BALL OF BLUE SUPER-ENERGY?
YOU... DON'T.
Looking back on it, Sonic and social are kind of meant for each other.
After all, the blue blur moves so fast that if you blink, you might miss him. Same goes for digital, where things move just as quickly. That meant the campaign had one goal — in Sonic's words:
Gotta go fast.
Sonic’s blazing speed and quick-witted humor are beloved by many, but even after decades of games and narratives, that didn’t mean the race ahead didn’t have a few key challenges:
- 1) Core fans love Sonic, but how could we expand Sonic to new mass audiences?
- 2) What ways could Sonic break the fourth wall and engage fans online, like in the film?
- 3) What new and emerging channels could Sonic race into?
Honoring Sonic’s signature speed and tone, the campaign that followed also made the lovable character more approachable through social tactics that prioritized engagement and unexpected partnerships that drove goodwill and and organic interest in the IP.
Client Paramount Pictures
Project Sonic The Hedgehog
What We Did
- Digital
- Social
- Video
- Partnerships
- Co-Branded Content
- Mini-Games
- IG Stunt
- Strategy
BREAKING A SWEAT WITH UNICEF
With kids around the world sheltering at home, we partnered with UNICEF to give them a way to stay active: a fun, stylized Sonic-inspired "Gotta go fast!" workout!
Filmed remotely with teachers and students, our collaboration with Paramount and UNICEF became one of the top-performing streamed classes across the UNICEF network and anchored its summer camps, helping unlock food for malnourished children around the world, plant trees, and support other local causes -- all while helping keep kids moving and active, just like Sonic.
CATCH SONIC ON INSTA
In this interactive Instagram Story mini-game loaded with easter eggs and fun misdirects, fans had to move as fast as Sonic to catch his appearances in a ring-housed flipagram.
YOGA ADVENTURES WITH COSMIC KIDS
Even the Blue Blur needs to balance his energy with mindfulness. In a partnership with Cosmic Kids, we helped lead millions of kids in an exercise that emphasized the importance of balancing super-sonic energy levels with rest, calm, and, of course, fun.
ASK A DONUT ANYTHING
Everyone loves a donut! But everyone especially loved the aviator-wearing donut in Sonic. On Instagram, we brought him back, letting fans ask Sergeant Sprinkles anything (yep, anything!). A few hours later, we'd received over 2,000+ fan submissions, fueling a day full of sugar-coated fun!
A DAY IN THE LIFE
When you move as fast as Sonic, you can pack a lot into a single day. We highlighted the range of Sonic's activities in the film with a stylized 'day in the life' Instagram Story, cutting up moments into a montage that hinted at the action and comedy in the film.
MOVIE NIGHTS WITH SONIC
A kid at heart, Sonic loves to watch films and hang out. In the campaign, he 'speed-watched' films from across Paramount's catalog, providing commentary and ultimately creating snackable content that cross-pollenated him across the studio's other popular IPs.
APRIL FOOL'S FUN
In the film, Sonic breaks the fourth wall and has fun at his own expense -- the tone on social was no different, especially on holidays like April Fool's, when we surprised fans with a slow-mo Sonic.
SONIC'S SPRINT TO 1st PLACE:
Sonic raced into theaters, quickly speeding to first-place spot as the highest-grossing video-game movie in U.S. box-office history. Shifting to an earlier-than-expected digital release demanded a modified campaign that didn’t reverse the film’s momentum — and the results proved that nothing slows Sonic down:
- #1 TOP-PERFORMING FILM across both VOD and DVD releases
- 3.5MM ORGANIC IMPRESSSIONS across social during campaign window
- #1 VIDEO ON UNICEF for the full duration of campaign
- SOCIETAL IMPACT UNICEF views triggered tree planting & healthcare access
- 2 LIVES SAVED UNICEF views generated meal donations that saved lives
- OVER 1.2MM led through a Sonic inspired yoga session
Coverage
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