Following the success of the 2016 ICE Totally Gaming Technopolis campaign, Clarion Events will this year change its focus to an historic and cultural theme for its ICE marketing.
This week in London Clarion held its first photoshoot for the 2017 campaign, the theme of which centres around William Shakespeare under the slogan World Theatre of Gaming. A London taxi has been hired for the eight-month campaign that will officially kick-off in August.
The taxi will sport an image of the great playwright against a Banksy-style backdrop.
“There is the potential for millions to see it as it travels around London over the remainder of this year and the run-up to the show in February,” said Kate Chambers, managing director of Clarion’s gaming division. The tip-up seats in the taxi’s passenger cab also feature ICE images.
“This year is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death,” said Chambers, “so it seemed appropriate to take the world’s most celebrated playwright as our theme.
“He was responsible for so many everyday phrases in the English language, he is an obvious link with London in so many people’s minds around the world, and we have modernised his image with the Banksy-style twist - and it all fits with the World Theatre of Gaming theme.”
Chambers and members of her team dressed in 16th century costumes for the shoot, which went on a taxi-tour of major London sights to continue the photographic opportunities.
The campaign for 2017 has already started with a series of teaser advertisements but yesterday’s shoot was the first clear indication of the marketing plan for the coming campaign. Now the team plans to run other events around the theme, including a competition.
Chambers told InterGame that the 2017 ExCeL show is already 50 per cent pre-sold, with all of the big names in gaming either confirmed or about to confirm. The show in 2016 had grown to encompass 16 halls on either side of the Docklands exhibition space - there are 23 sections on either side of the venue - and in 2017 ICE will expand to take up 18 per side.
“It will add another 8,000sq.m of space to the show and represents a 10 per cent increase in event size,” she said.
ICE Totally Gaming is the world’s largest gaming event in floor area and in 2016 attracted an audited attendance of 28,000 unique visitors, a record.
Image: Kate Chambers (at the wheel) with, left to right, Ewa Bakun (head of content), Susan Miller (operations manager) and Greg Saint (event director) at the photoshoot
