Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 We're excited to share our work helping our client Hot Topic enter the metaverse by launching their Halloween Forever Collection on Roblox.
What did Hot Topic do?
- Dropped 10 Halloween-themed clothing items on the Roblox platform designed by several talented UGC creators with past experience making items for themselves and other brands. We released bat sunglasses, bat backpack, candy corn beanie, ghost beanie, skeleton sweatshirt, and a couple of Hot Topic beanies and t-shirt. My favorite item is the pumpkin cardigan! Our offering included a mix of layered clothing items, which are more time-intensive to design, as well as accessories.
- Launched 3 pop up shops (branded billboard, interactive mannequin, e-commerce UI) within 3 popular Roblox games (Speed Run 4, The Floor is Lava, and Catalog Outfit Creator) that have a combined 3 BILLION visits. Thanks to our amazing partners at Super League Gaming for designing the pop up shop and helping us place it in such fun, high-traffic games.
- Created a Hot Topic group on Roblox. This virtual space acts as the activation's hub. There's a store tab where all items can be viewed, tried on and purchased. There's also a wall where Roblox users can leave comments, including calling out their suggestions on what they'd like the brand to do on the platform. Hot Topic also included links to its other social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.
- Designed and dressed a Hot Topic avatar.
What's special about this metaverse activation?
Hot Topic is bringing the physical and digital worlds closer together.
- The brand took its Halloween campaign featuring influencer + actress Mary Mouser (Cobra Kai) and extended it into the metaverse across its pop up shops and billboards appearing in over 20 games.
- Several items for sale are available for purchase digitally on Roblox as well as IRL at Hot Topic stores and online. This type of "phygital" activation provides customers with the opportunity to dress not only themselves, but also their avatars.
How did this brand activation get made?
Working quickly to get in market well ahead of Halloween, we pulled this campaign off in only two months by working with talented people across multiple companies. Congrats and thanks to the following collaborators for their partnership: Hot Topic, Super League Gaming, Roblox, Sheldon Strategy & Communications.
How was the activation received?
- The activation earned considerable attention from industry press including Venture Beat, The Drum, Ad Age, MarTech, and PCGamesN.
- There's also been overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Hot Topic Roblox group members who have left enthusiastic comments about Hot Topic and its move into the space.