1. Learning Intentions:
.All students will gain an understanding of
how Fifa 14 has been marketed in a
current market.
Some will be able to identify
similarities/difference between this case
study and their own.
Success Criteria:
A*-C- Can you apply this knowledge to
your current case study and identify
reasons for each stage of
development/marketing?
Concept Focus: ALL
Exam Focus: AO1, AO2, AO3
2. Using Ipads/phones/ dictionaries
find and explain these key terms.
campaign low budget
high budget guerilla marketing
viral marketing opinion leaders
two-step flow tie-ins
merchandising point-of-sale display
opinion leaders two-step flow theory
STARTER
3. Why “case studies”?
• Because in your exam, you are very likely to have a
question like this:
There are lots of ways to market video games. The best
campaigns:
– Appeal to a specific target audience group
– Use all three media platforms to get their message across (print,
broadcast and web)
– Use different strategies pre- and post-release
From your research on video game marketing and promotion,
explain how each of these can contribute to the success of a
campaign. Give examples from at least TWO campaigns that
you have looked at.
4. • Please take down some notes on the
following:
FIFA14 CASE STUDY
7. FIFA video games
• The FIFA series of football simulations is one of
the most successful video games in the World.
• It is the most integrated of the three games that
we have looked at for several reasons:
– It features real people
– It has the support of the sport’s governing body
– It taps into a huge supporter fan base
– It can use real players for celebrity endorsement
• Sometimes it can be difficult to see where the
“gaming world” ends and the “real football
world” starts.
8. Why is it successful?
• The FIFA series is hugely successful because it uses a
variety of marketing techniques to keep it at the top
of the games charts:
• PRINT: advertising and magazine articles featuring
sponsored players and events.
• BROADCAST: sponsorship of football leagues around
the World – the name of the publisher is always visible
during matches / sponsorship of top international
players.
• WEB-BASED: a fully integrated publisher webpage
which uses downloads, news and forums to keep its
customers up to date.
9. FIFA video game series
• Type of game: sports simulation
• Developer: EA sports
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• First published: July 1993
• Platforms: the present game is available for PC,
consoles and handhelds. The original game was only
available for PCs and consoles.
• Sales to date: 100 million+
10. History
• When first published, there was little competition
in this market, so the game quickly captured a
large player-base.
• Electronic Arts publish very successful simulation
games for American Football and Ice Hockey in a
similar format, based on the success of FIFA.
• FIFA was one of the first video games to get an
official licence from the governing body of the
sport and this has proved to be a very successful
(financial) partnership.
11. Global FIFA
• The current version of the game FIFA 14 features
full leagues from: the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico,
the USA, South Korea and Australia.
• It also includes selected teams from: Greece,
Turkey, Argentina and South Africa.
• The global nature of the teams featured gives a
good indication of where the game sells best.
13. Special Editions
• As well as domestic leagues in many countries,
the FIFA series also produces special editions:
– FIFA World Cup – 1998-2014
– UEFA European Football Championship – 2000-12
– UEFA Champions League
• “Street Football” – FIFA Street – 2005 -12
• And a series of Football Manager sims:
– FA Premier Manager
– Total Club Manager
– FIFA Manager – 2003-14
14. International marketing
• The FIFA series is available in
– 18 languages and
– 51 countries.
• Sales of over 100 million copies put it near the
top of the all-time best-selling video games list.
• FIFA 12 holds the record for the “fastest selling
sports game ever” having sold 3.3 million copies
and having generated $186 million in its first
week of release.
21. What type of
gamer does this
appeal to and
why?
(Refer to three
theories)
22. Milestones in development - 1
• 1993 – first launched and stayed at Number 1 in
the games charts for six months.
• 1996 – first use of real player names and their
positions.
• 1997 – first use of “motion-capture” action.
• 1998 – first use of licenced music artists (Song 2
by Blur) / first accurate representation of the off-
side rule.
• 2003 – first use of “Freestyle control” allowing
tricks / first use of EA Trax – exclusive music
menu
23. Milestones in development - 2
• 2004 – first appearance of selected secondary leagues
/ first use of an “online” gaming option.
• 2006 – complete overhaul of the game – game code
almost entirely rewritten / first appearance of a Classic
XI featuring football legends.
• 2008 – “Be a Pro” option first used – controls only a
single player on the pitch.
• 2010 - 360° player control
• 2012 – game adapted for iPhone, iPad and iPod
• 2014 – EA Sports Football Club – rewards and
challenges
24. Criticism
• Criticism of the game has come in the fact that
some editions of the game have only very
small changes and yet (like football team
shirts), often players feel the need to buy the
new edition every year.
• ea sports maintain that they have a long
history of continuous improvement each year
and that every version of the game is better
than the last.
25. EA Trax – music licencing
• Ever since music was first licenced for FIFA 98, artists
have been falling over themselves to get their music
featured on the soundtracks of the game.
• Artists who have contributed the main themes have
included: Kasabian, The Crystal Method, Muse, Linkin
Park, Kings of Leon, Bloc Party, Oasis, Fatboy Slim,
Blur, Robbie Williams, Moby and Gorillaz
26.
27.
28. Endorsement
• Wayne Rooney was
the “face of FIFA”
from FIFA 06 to FIFA
12.
• Lionel Messi replaced
Rooney and has been
the featured player for
the last two editions.
• ea “stole” Messi from
Pro-Evolution Soccer
– ea’s closest rival.
36. FIFA 12 VIP box
An all white, high gloss wooden box.
As fancy as it looks, the real “awe”
comes when the box is opened up.
Inside lucky owners will find the
PlayStation 3 version of FIFA 12, a
custom gold painted soccer ball, a
PlayStation Portable system, a pair of
Beats by Dre headphones, and a
custom engraved iPad.
This limited edition kit is allotted to the
celebrities like Dwayne Wade, Landon
Donovan, Wayne Rooney, Chris Paul,
Kobe Bryant Tim Lincecuum, Brian
Wilson, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Wayne.
40. Why no
women?
Vero Boquete (a female
Spanish professional
footballer) has campaigned
online for the introduction of
women players into the FIFA
series.
41. Design Task:
Conventions of a Video Game trailer:
Institutional information – eg production company logo, etc
Introduction to the main character/s – showing us who they are, what type of
person they are, how attractive they are etc..
Introduction to the narrative / objectives – some hints of what the player will
be doing in the game, what locations they will visit, what tasks they will have to
do etc.
Introduction to genre – will show some images/ words / sounds that tell the
audience immediate what genre of game to expect eg first person shooter,
platform etc.
Hint at target audience – will include some images / words / sounds which hint
as to who will most enjoy this game
Title / Release Date / Website address (normally right at the end of the trailer)
Storyboard your own trailer that advertises Fifa 14.
42. Does your case study look like this?
What do you need to find information
on?
Don’t forget to use these websites to
follow new releases:
vgreleases.com
eurogamer.net
