In the lead up to its 2023 release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Activision began teasing the return of Vladimir Makarov, a fan-favorite antagonist closely associated with the original Modern Warfare trilogy. This is no ordinary villain, however; Makarov will betray anyone, cross any line, and reject any authority on his mission to collapse the global order.
Our challenge was to raise the stakes in a series already filled with action, combat, and intense consequences while establishing the return of Task Force 141’s most renowned adversary.
In an activation we lovingly named Unknown Caller, we first invited streamers into the world of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III by delivering “smuggled” deconstructed burner phones in an ominous package of strange items that concealed the pieces of the device in bars of soap, inkwells, flip flops, and a dirty prison blanket.
While streaming live to their audiences, the creators unpacked their unusual mailer, solved the puzzle and assembled their phones, just in time to begin receiving messages and cryptic instructions from a mysterious agent.
But this wasn’t simply a creator activation, as the next stage of the campaign invited anyone to get in contact directly with the Unknown Caller through an interactive SMS & WhatsApp channel inviting all fans to receive their own cryptic intel to learn more about the upcoming game reveal.
This in-world campaign left everyone wondering: Who is the Unknown Caller? What are his true motives? And, what else will be revealed about Modern Warfare III?
Many fans assumed it was Makarov behind the mysterious communications, and were intrigued by the opportunity to discover more about the game directly from one of COD’s most electrifying and dangerous villains. With a deep understanding of the stakes and the ominous threat ahead, players rallied to participate directly in the campaign — driving engagements in the millions — and eagerly joining Task Force 141 when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III shipped in 2023.
