Comms agency Gun creates and markets Pictionaussie – local edition of Pictionary
PR and digital agency Gun is behind the creation and marketing of Pictionaussie, an Australianised edition of the Mattel game Pictionary.
The agency has been working on the Pictionaussie project for two years including developing the brand, packaging and content; arranging production; and the marketing campaign which is now launching. The game features 500 Australian words, phrases, objects and icons which players are challenged to sketch while team mates guess their meaning.
The marketing campaign will focus on social media and PR.
A Pictionaussie Facebook page offers users the opportunity to play the game online, while the activity is supported by a YouTube channel and Twitter profile celebrating Aussie colloquialisms.
The campaign is build around promoting July 25 as the day to hold a Christmas in July celebration and celebrate it as Australia Day in July by playing the game.
Gun director Sarah Sproule said the reason for the social media emphasis was because the target demographic was 18-40. She added: “Half of the sketch terms in the game have some form of presence on Facebook – associated fan sites/groups/etc – which meant social was the obvious medium.”
She added: “The entire game has been developed with PR in mind, from the content: who & what made the cutand who didn’t, to the quirky Aussie brand name.”
wtf…two years to localise a board game’s contents and work out a marketing plan????
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Hi Anon_Coward. I know, seems like an eternity doesn’t it? Unsure if you have worked with a large multinational previously, however things take time. Process was a little more complex than “game contents and a marketing plan” too, although in its most simplistic sense, this is what it amounts to! Thanks for taking an interest.
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Sarah, a very measured response – well done
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This is a great way to revitalise a treasured game in Australia. Well done Gun!
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Was pre-production PR part of the campaign? It would have been great to involve Aussies in the selection of words, phrases, objects and locations through social media.
Still, I love this idea – could we be in for a return of the humble board game? Fingers crossed.
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Strewth, what grouse mates you cobbers are! 😉 Sarah, you’re onto it. Pre-prod PR wasn’t possible for the launch edition, but we want to try and make it happen for future editions. It’s part of the PR messaging for launch – who/what made it in; and equally – who/want didn’t make it. And what the public thinks about the inclusions. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pictionaussie and post who you think should be in there. Straight on the wall. The fb admin will respond with a yes or no as to whether they’re in there.
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Bloody Brilliant.
Good to see more agencies getting involved in actual product creation, rather than just after its done.
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Sarah_Gun, I’ve worked client side in IT, gaming and media – I have sympathy for the challenges you face, but still feel that two years was a long time. Was the entire product development cycle two years, or just your part?
Last game I recently worked on was in the miniatures gaming space, and I know how long game production can take, but from the announcement it’s a bit vague as to your involvement. Localisation and launch planning should not take two years, especially for a game like this.
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Hi Anon_Coward. The product dev cycle has taken two years (from ideation through to hitting retail) – Gun has been involved the entire process, including brand development, product/packaging design, content development, managing the actual production of the board game, and then launch. Hope that clarifies things for you! Cheers.
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That clarification is appreciated, please disregard my original post as regards the development time.
Ideation isn’t a word BTW. But then neither is strewth, cobber etc.
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