How to Play

Objectives

When it comes to the kind of content gamers want to see on their social feeds, one thing is sure—it’s definitely not ads.

So, when we were tasked with promoting the one-month trial of Xbox Game Pass that comes with new Acer and Predator laptops—to an audience that doesn’t like ads—we knew we had to flip the script with a step-by-step video like no other seen before. That’s when the fun began.

Strategy and Execution

Part of making the greatest instructional video possible hinged on the channel we chose to show up on. Enter TikTok. Thanks to its brilliant blend of comedy, information, and audience reach, it was the best place to share our direct-response campaign urging gamers to sign up for the Xbox Game Pass trial—all wrapped in an entertaining package that captivated our audience.

The TikTok gaming community is diverse, and that’s the beauty of it. With so many types of gamers out there, we had to be strategic to resonate with each of them. So, we teamed up with a diverse group of TikTok influencers who love to game but aren’t necessarily considered gaming creators to create personalized step-by-step videos.

But these weren’t your parents’ instructional videos. Not only did each video feature the cheeky humor and AI voices that are found throughout the TikTok landscape, but each was specifically tailored to showcase the unique personalities of our influencers.

The way it worked was simple. Following the AI instructions, each influencer began by opening their new Acer device and showing how easy it is to sign up for Xbox Game Pass. Then came that special twist. We had each influencer get ready to play in their own unique way—anything from putting on headbands and gloves to donning full-on cosplay.

And we didn’t stop there. As the ads rolled, the steps became stranger and more fun. After signing up to play Xbox Game Pass, the influencers told their dogs to walk themselves, their kids to get their own food, and on and on—all in the name of getting more game time.

Results

With enticing, relatable content that surprised and informed, we persuaded viewers to sign up for their one-month trials of Xbox Game Pass. Not only did we succeed in reaching our target audience, boosting awareness, and driving trial sign-ups, but we also showed that high-performing content can have serious entertainment value.

In fact, we’ve seen: