Turtle Division: Helping Boom Beach Give Back
Can gaming make the world a better place? We’ve always known it can, but this time we set out to prove it. Together with Supercell's Boom Beach, we embarked on a journey to launch the "Turtle Division" Give Back campaign. Our challenge was to leverage immersive gameplay in order to ignite players' passion for protecting sea turtles in the real world. Here’s how we did it — and how we won two awards in the process.
Background
Supercell's call for a meaningful campaign resonated deeply with us. We recognised a natural fit; Boom Beach's coastal theme was a perfect link to raise awareness and inspire action for a cause close to our hearts: saving sea turtles. We were excited to use our creativity to make it come to life; so we set out to create an innovative campaign for Boom Beach centred around saving these magnificent creatures that seamlessly fit in with the world of their game.
The Concept: Turtle Division
Enter Dr. Turtle, an in-game character armed with the mighty 'Droid Turtle' — a weapon driven by advanced AI. Everything is fine, until a longing for the freedom of real turtles emerges within the sentient base. Tragedy strikes as the Droid Turtle begins stealing precious sea turtles from players' bases. As they are the one thing most dear to him in the world, Dr. Turtle changes tactics and rallies Commanders to join forces in the "Turtle Division" and deploy their Mega Turtle skills to liberate these captive creatures.
Planning For Real Impact
To translate in-game victories into real-world change, Waste Creative joined forces with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC). Through the sale of Dr. T & Turtle statues in the game, Supercell made generous donations to support the STC's vital efforts. Together with esteemed content creators 'CosmicDuo,' we journeyed to Panama, capturing the STC's tireless work and inspiring the community through captivating videos that championed the STC's cause.
Creative Execution
From the moment we conceptualised Turtle Division, we knew we were onto something special. With passion fueling our every move, Waste Creative meticulously crafted the campaign from scratch. A carefully orchestrated live-action shoot brought our vision to life, seamlessly blending pre-production, filming, and editing. The result was a visually stunning video, accompanied by fun animations, illustrations, and designs that resonated deeply with our audience.
The Launch
Harnessing the power of Boom Beach’s immense social platform, we strategically unleashed the Turtle Division campaign across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Regular updates, interactions, and progress sharing fostered a genuine sense of camaraderie among players. United in their commitment to save sea turtles, they embarked on a shared mission, attracting attention to the cause in the digital landscape.
Results
The resounding success of Turtle Division surpassed all expectations. Boom Beach players more than embraced the cause, propelling the sale of over 15,000 in-game Dr. T statues. Their enthusiasm not only contributed significant proceeds to the STC, but also sparked a wave of awareness about the ocean's fragility and the importance of its precious inhabitants. The campaign's concept and impact garnered four nominations, including prestigious wins for the Media's Choice Award and the United Nations Environment Programme Choice at the esteemed Green Game Jam.
Conclusion
Through our collaboration with Boom Beach, we achieved something truly remarkable with the Turtle Division campaign. Using our expertise to blend immersive storytelling, player engagement, and real-world impact, we fostered a profound sense of responsibility among Boom Beach players.
Through gaming, we ignited their passion for environmental preservation, demonstrating the tremendous power of the gaming community to effect meaningful change. Turtle Division stands as a testament to Waste Creative's unwavering dedication, creative prowess, and ability to deliver extraordinary results while leaving a lasting positive impact.