The Objective
As a globally renowned football game IP, EA Sports FC, was faced with the challenge of penetrating the competitive Chinese market following the release of its new brand name in 2023.
Chinese New Year provided a crucial opportunity for the game’s publishers, EA Sports. Characterized by increased leisure time and heightened traffic on social platforms like Douyin, the national holiday offered an ideal time to capture user attention in China through the promotion of a new game release.
As part of its campaign objectives, EA Sports aimed to generate a significant volume of brand-related content at a low cost while enhancing brand awareness and fostering user loyalty for the game’s IP and new release.
The Solution
Recognizing the importance of localizing their approach, EA Sports FC sought to integrate traditional Chinese cultural elements into their campaign strategy. With this in mind, EA Sports introduced “EA Sports FC Chinese New Year Custom Jerseys” into the game, featuring an ink painting theme and dragon elements.
This not only visually distinguished the brand but also fostered a sense of cultural affinity among Chinese football enthusiasts and gamers, aligning perfectly with the celebratory mood of the season.
To drive participation and content creation, EA Sports FC launched a Mission for All on Douyin, China’s leading short-video platform. This interactive challenge utilized official videos featuring football stars and incentivized participation through cash rewards for top submissions, rallying football enthusiasts and the extensive Douyin user base to generate branded PUGC and UGC (professional user-generated content and user-generated content) videos on the platform.
Collaborating with renowned football stars and prestigious clubs like Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and Real Madrid further bolstered their campaign. These partnerships yielded exclusive New Year greetings and calligraphy videos, which not only enhanced authenticity but also deepened emotional connections with Chinese fans and gamers.
Still, the campaign’s success also hinged on its inclusivity and widespread appeal. Utilizing Douyin’s diverse user base, EA Sports FC engaged a pyramid of creators ranging from celebrity athletes to niche influencers and everyday users. This multi-layered approach transformed each participant into a passionate advocate for the game, exponentially expanding the campaign’s reach and impact across different demographics.
Using the Ocean Engine ads platform, EA Sports FC also took advantage of TopView Ads and Content Promote as part of its digital advertising strategy across iOS and Android. Content Promote enhanced brand visibility by integrating organic content into users’ “For You” feed, while TopView Ads delivered sound-on brand content upon app entry, maximizing brand exposure and recall.
Ad Products
The Results
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+130 million trending topic video views
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+24% search growth vs. previous month
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+43,000 trending topic videos
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+1.01 million likes/comments/shares
From cultural localization to celebrity partnerships, every element of EA’s campaign was designed to create buzz and interest. As a result, search interest for the game surged, with keyword searches for the game peaking multiple times. Overall, February saw a notable month-over-month increase of over 24%, marking a substantial rise in brand awareness among the game’s target audience.
The campaign also forged stronger user relationships through compelling content. In-feed videos alone drove over 47,000 visits to EA’s official account, resulting in a rapid increase of 13,000 followers and an impressive 28% follow-back rate within a short timeframe.
In terms of amplifying their message, the campaign’s official hashtag (#龙年一起FC) garnered high rates of engagement. Videos associated with the hashtag amassed over 130 million views, with nearly 43,000 total content submissions contributing to the topic. The cumulative total of interactions—encompassing likes, comments and shares—surpassed 1.01 million and participation among creators reached over 20,000.
By tapping into the cultural excitement around Chinese New Year and harnessing Douyin’s influence, EA Sports FC successfully heightened brand awareness and drove significant user engagement. This strategic alignment not only solidified the game’s foothold in the competitive Chinese gaming market but also paved the way for sustained growth and further innovation in the future.
