Paramount+'s “Halo” dramatizes an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. The original series weaves personal stories with action and a memorable vision of the future, bringing to life the massively successful “Halo” video game series in a way fans have never seen before.
With Halo's premiere as a series, Paramount+ looked to engage fans of the game franchise and sci-fi aficionados with a unique experience with its transmedia website. Leveraging more than two decades of “Halo” fandom and the world's deep lore, the site helped excite viewers, give them background on the show, and demonstrate the depth and expansiveness of “Halo” by bringing viewers into its world.
Paramount+'s “Halo” transmedia site immersed users in the world of the show, giving them the opportunity to learn about the galaxy of “Halo” and its alien worlds and to learn about its characters. Presented as the "hacked" computer of Dr. Catherine Halsey, the website gave viewers the opportunity to learn more about the details of Halo, giving new viewers a better understanding of the series and longtime “Halo” fans a look at the ways the series adapted the material into something new and exciting.
The interactive website also functioned as an immersive story experience in itself, with the hacked computer hiding unlockable secret content for users to discover.
Paramount+ brought the “Halo” interactive experience to fans through an unmissable activation. At the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas, Paramount+ took over the city with a first-of-its-kind Halo-branded drone light show. The activation culminated in a QR code viewers could scan that took them to the microsite and gave them access to a cinematic new “Halo” trailer.
Taking interactivity and engagement even further, Paramount+ directed fans to the microsite through “Halo” social postings. Coded messages required fans to puzzle through them in order to gain access, which brought them even deeper into the world of “Halo.”
"Halo" became the biggest premiere weekend both domestically and globally in the history of Paramount+/CBS All Access, and the #1 most social sci-fi series across streaming after its premiere weekend.
The success of “Halo” and its ad campaign has directly led to Paramount's growth, which as of late 2022 saw over 46 million subscribers enjoying the platform, with more and more joining the service each quarter.
