Objective

Founded in 2005, XPPen is an industry-leading digital art innovation brand under Hanvon UGEE. XPPen focuses on the needs of consumers by integrating digital art products, content, and services. AFK Arena is a globally acclaimed mobile RPG renowned for its exquisite art style, vibrant fantasy world, and strategic idle gameplay. XPPen is partnering with AFK Arena to celebrate the game’s 6th anniversary by launching a boundary-pushing creative campaign. By leveraging the popularity of AFK Arena IP and integrating XPPen’s IP mascot Fenix, we aim to create a synergistic "1+1>2" effect across various communication channels. This contest encourages artists to create new game stories through their unique artistic lens. By aligning XPPen with gaming, our brand becomes more youthful, trendy, and entertaining, achieving the following:

1. Breaking barriers: Expanding audience reach, enhancing communication effects, and merging different circles of influence.
2. Leveraging influence: Utilizing the global reach of the gaming industry to boost brand recognition and favorability, sparking interest and emotional resonance among potential and general entertainment users.
3. Sparking creativity: Inspire artists and gamers alike to push creative boundaries by blending traditional and digital art forms with gaming aesthetics.
4. Strengthening community bonds: Unite art enthusiasts and gaming fans through a shared passion for storytelling, design, and innovation.

Strategy

Stragegy：

AFK Arena is a globally acclaimed mobile RPG renowned for its exquisite art style, vibrant fantasy world, and strategic idle gameplay. Its players share similarities with XPPen users—creative individuals who are fans of manga, gaming, and creation.

1. Cross-industry collaboration: launch an online global creation contest themed "Monsters Gone Wild" with AFK Arena. Participants are required to create original entries of game IP characters such as Tasi, Ryan, Magic Flower Seed or XPPen Fenix at a celebration carnival, highlighting character interaction and happy vibe of the celebration.

2. Deep Integration of XPPen IP: XPPen's IP character Fenix is deeply integrated into the AFK Arena universe, including the key visuals and contest theme. This enhances users' awareness towards XPPen and IP mascot Fenix.

3. Behind-the-scenes story: Onsite interviews with AFK Arena concept artists to share stories about game art design and the exploration of professional identity.

4. Card game: A card game was added to the contest page, adopting a game-like style to enhance user engagement and boost official website activity.

5. Word-of-mouth communication: Engage global illustrators to call to action and share their creative process, driving broader PGC-UGC content dissemination.

6. Targeted promotion: Collaborate with third-party art platforms to invite illustrators precisely, enhancing artwork quality.

7. Amplify presence: Use Google & Facebook ads for targeted exposure.

8. Booth in Russica art market: Participating in a pop-up art market in Russia. AFK Arena provides sketches of the game characters and XPPen provides drawing tablets. Players can freely create graffiti onsite. We also invite local cosplayers and KOLs to call on creators in social media attend the event in-person, attracting over 500 visitors to our booth for interaction.

Execution:

Official Channels:

• Activity Key Visual (KV)
• Influencer call-to-action video
• EDM push
• Official website and community banners
• Continuous flow of activities
• Tutorials and influencer creative videos
• Social media topic interactions
• User-generated content (UGC) and influencer professional-generated content (PGC) reposts

Influencer Channels:

• Activity promotion post to attract traffic
• Combine product review content, invite influencers to participate in competitions, share the creative process, and call for participation, providing giveaway away

Media PR:

• Launch of official announcement for XPPen x AFK Arena's Global Creation Contest
• Interviews with the artist of AFK Arena launched on creative bloq

Advertising Placement:

• Search engine advertising (Google, Bing)
• Social advertising (Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, X) and other channels
• Increase the activity of the official website

Third-party Platforms:

• Cooperation and promotion on Anime News Network

Others:

• XPPen offline booth in Russia art market

Results

The XPPen x AFK Arena Global Creation Contest has achieved remarkable reach, with approximately 447 million total exposures across multiple channels, including:

●Social media exposure: 10,00,000+

●Digital advertising exposure: 110,00,000+

●Third-party platforms: 10,00,000+

●Page views: 110,000+

●Press release: 900+

This cross-industry collaboration between XPPen and AFK Arena transcends traditional marketing by merging art and gaming into a vibrant cultural exchange. By tapping into AFK Arena’s rich fantasy universe, XPPen empowers artists worldwide to create iconic characters and scenes, showcasing their imagination and creativity.

This contest leverages both online and offline marketing channels, largely amplifying user engagement and fostering deeper connections with both the gaming and art communities. It not only expands XPPen’s influence among potential users but also explores diverse artistic cultures. Through this partnership, XPPen strengthens its brand perception as an innovator in digital art tools, while AFK Arena gains fresh, fan-driven content that revitalizes its game players’ community.

Beyond exposure, the contest cultivates an endless stream of UGC (user-generated content) , encouraging artists to share their work globally. This synergy between brands and creators enhances long-term engagement, turning participants into loyal brand advocates. This contest also sets a good example for other brands to develop cross-industry collaborations.

Media