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These people were best at selling you games last year

2 min read
32

Massive Circlejerk

We often focus on the games development side of things, and trumpet when games are released for your playing pleasure – but there’s an aspect of the games industry that we often overlook, even though we sometimes unwittingly function as part of it; marketing and PR. Though I prefer to keep the marketing and PR out of the limelight, it’s an integral part of the industry – and it’s the reason why a great many consumers end up buying the games they do.

The work of marketers and public relations folk in the games industry is, like everything else, subject to awards, pomp and ceremony. The Game Marketing Awards 2015 were dished out yesterday to celebrate “the best practices in marketing, promotion and advertising for the video gaming and interactive entertainment community.”

Here’s who worked hardest to sell you games. Ubisoft won best marketing team of the year for a second year running – and it’s well deserved. They convinced people to buy Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed Unity, afterall.

Game Marketing Agency of the Year

  • Ant Farm

Marketing Team of the Year

  • Ubisoft

Outstanding TV or Theatrical Ad

  • Titanfall “Shadow”
    Heat

Funniest Video Asset

  • Madden Season
    Heat

Outstanding Promotional Trailer

  • Assassin’s Creed Unity E3 Trailer – Lorde CG Video
    Ubisoft

Outstanding Promotional Trailer – Mobile Games

  • Marvel Contest of Champions New York ComicCon Trailer
    Kabam, Inc.

Best Game Footage Trailer

  • Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Reveal
    Ant Farm

Best Long Format Featuring Promotional Content

  • Madden Season
    Heat

Best Use of Music in a Promotional Piece

  • Assassin’s Creed Unity E3 Trailer – Lorde CG Video
    Ubisoft

Outstanding Overall Marketing Campaign – Core Games

  • Destiny
    Ant Farm with 72andSunny

Outstanding Overall Marketing Campaign – Family Games

  • Kinect Sports Rivals Launch Campaign
    Xbox

Outstanding Marketing – Free to Play

  • PlanetSide 2
    Sony Online Entertainment

Outstanding Overall Advertising Campaign

  • Forza Horizon 2 – Launch Campaign
    Xbox

Standout Outdoor Advertising

  • Gorehowl Cab
    Blizzard Entertainment

Best Box Art (Standard Game Version)

  • Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth Box Art
    2K

Best Limited Edition, Special Edition or Collector’s Edition

  • Destiny Ghost Edition
    Petrol Advertising

Best Showing at a Trade or Consumer Event

  • Murdered: Soul Suspect Pax Video Stunt
    Square Enix America / Midnight Oil

Best Retail Marketing Campaign

  • Skylanders Trap Team – Retail Marketing Campaign
    Activision / Midnight Oil

Best Website for a Product

  • Watch Dogs Digital Shadow
    Ubisoft/AKQA

Best Use of Sound Design

  • Asassin’s Creed Sit Back TV Spot
    Ubisoft

Best Copywriting for a Marketing Asset

  • Middleearth: Shadow of Mordor #OrcTakeover
    Edelman & Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment

Best Editing for a Video Asset

  • Far Cry 4 – Story
    Ant Farm

Best Cg for a Video Asset

  • Watch Dogs TV AdCG
    Ubisoft/ Cutwater LLC/ Digic Pictures

Best Product Announcement

  • Evolve Announcement
    Team One / 2K

Thinking Outside of the Box

  • GIFerator
    Heat/Grow

Favorite Trailer: Fan Voted

  • Borderlands: The PreSequel
    2K

Here’s the Lorde Assassin’s Creed trailer that did so well:

The Titanfall “Shadow” trailer

The rather funny Madden one:

The Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare reveal trailer

and the Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel fan favourite trailer:

As with some other awards and their related ceremonies, this one should be taken lightly; they require paid entry to be considered for eligibility.

Last Updated: April 23, 2015

32 Comments

  1. Umar

    April 23, 2015 at 12:33

    Madden trailer was really good though. I’m slightly biased because I love Kevin Hart.

    Reply

  2. Blood Emperor Trevor

    April 23, 2015 at 12:36

    hehe @ tags.

    Reply

  3. Pariah

    April 23, 2015 at 12:42

    You rock Geoff.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 23, 2015 at 12:44

      He rocks Music on: Electric Guitar on 3DS. Must have been fun reviewing that.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        April 23, 2015 at 12:46

        The audio quality must’ve been exceptional.

        Reply

        • Splooshypooh

          April 23, 2015 at 12:47

          XD

          Reply

  4. Hammersteyn

    April 23, 2015 at 12:43

    No “swindler” or “nickle and dime” category?

    Reply

    • Pariah

      April 23, 2015 at 12:46

      EA would win that one though, no contest. Kind of like F1 10 or so years ago. #1 was always M. Schumaker.

      Reply

      • RustedFaith

        April 23, 2015 at 17:50

        I would say 2k will take it with Evolve.

        Reply

  5. Admiral Chief asked for this

    April 23, 2015 at 12:48

    Dat Planetside 2!!!

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 23, 2015 at 12:51

      Finally, some recognition

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief asked for this

        April 23, 2015 at 13:09

        When last did YOU play?

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 23, 2015 at 13:25

          *flies away

          Reply

          • Sageville

            April 23, 2015 at 14:17

            Best response eva

          • Hammersteyn

            April 23, 2015 at 14:18

            XD

  6. RinceThis

    April 23, 2015 at 12:59

  7. Greylingad

    April 23, 2015 at 13:01

    Having just finished watching House of Cards season 2… Dat Kevin Spacey…

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      April 23, 2015 at 13:03

      Still need to watch!

      Reply

      • Greylingad

        April 23, 2015 at 13:05

        Geez Louise!! Man, that series… Just… Wow! The American political system wouldn’t make sense at first if you haven’t seen how their parliament works, but dammit….Just… Amazing…Especially Spacey…That dude…

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          April 23, 2015 at 13:05

          I think I’ll start next week. Have the first two seasons and also have a week off work!

          Reply

          • Greylingad

            April 23, 2015 at 13:09

            Hehehe, you won’t regret it man! The whole week!? Sheesh!! Enjoy it man!!

  8. Her Highness the Hipster

    April 23, 2015 at 13:02

    that madden ad is too cool – wish i liked that game! also, the lorde ACU trailer still gives me goosebumps even knowing the launch was crap.

    Reply

  9. SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

    April 23, 2015 at 13:13

    That Assassins Creed Unity trailer with all those assassin fan made skins? Best trailer ever. I’m sure that Ubisoft just ask the marketing team what they can sell the shit out of. And then the marketing team tells them what PR nonsense to pull. Because even though I know Unity is a horribad game… after I watch that trailer I want to buy it.

    Reply

  10. Brady miaau

    April 23, 2015 at 14:25

    how is this judged for marketing effectiveness?

    Reply

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