Comrade

Comrade listens to its clients. I can count on their personable team to deliver big ideas and value.

Nathaniel Mordo
Brand Manager Ubisoft

About Ubisoft

As one of the world’s largest game developers, Ubisoft Entertainment is an innovative entertainment company that creates successful titles for a wide range of gaming audiences.

The Challenge

Ubisoft partnered with Comrade to create authentic online experiences and audience engagement in two of their popular franchises, Silent Hunter IV and Blazing Angels II.

Our Approach

For each of the projects we started by listening to conversations of the games’ loyal fans taking place online. We then developed creative that was authentic as it was engaging.

The Solution

For Silent Hunter IV, we created a community and ecommerce based website. To promote the game’s amazing realistic graphics and game play, we developed a microsite featuring an award-winning five-chapter mockumentary – Subsessed. We supported the online videos through forum seeding, and online banners.

Blazing Angels also received a dedicated microsite, including customizable paper airplane plans, and three short films depicting parodies of famous flight combat scenes. We also rolled out rich media banners to promote the site.

The Result

On the forums, fans loved the videos and Ubisoft’s commitment to go the extra mile to engage them with compelling branded content.

Comrade clearly demonstrates the ability to develop fresh, creative ideas based on strategic thinking and proven execution.

Anika Howard
Former Director, Internet Marketing for Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

About Harrah’s Entertainment

Harrah’s is the largest branded casino group in the world. They’re perhaps most famous for the diverse collection of properties that line the renowned Las Vegas Strip.

The Challenge

Comrade was called on by Harrah’s VP of Internet Marketing to create digital marketing programs and websites for a diverse collection of properties; the accessible on-strip O’Sheas Casino; A-list luxurious Color Salon in Caesars Palace; Vince Neil Ink tattoo studio; and sales promotions for room and amenity bookings.

Our Approach

Comrade became an extension of the Harrah’s Internet Marketing team. We provided big ideas, excellent creative, and technical services.

The Solution

Our answers included creating an online community and enhanced website for O’Sheas Casino; a rich online retail and promotional site for Color: A Salon by Michael Boychuck; a user-generated tattoo contest for Vince Neil Ink; and a direct email program for hotel, restaurant and amenity promotions.

The Result

We helped this large gaming company navigate their first user-generated program and social media. Email booking programs saw consistent 30% plus click-through rates, and exceeded booking goals. The tattoo contest for Vince Neil Ink received over 1,000 entries from across the U.S. and Canada, and boasted a 75% opt-in rate for future emails from the studio. Caesars Palace brand managers took our Color Salon web design and used it to drive the traditional advertising platform. The O’Sheas loyalty program, Gang Green, nearly doubled their email database.

Our Comrades completely immersed themselves in the Big Rock brand. On top of their strategic and creative skills, they offer a juggler’s ability to manage timelines, budgets and of course those last minute requests. They are a pleasure to work with…as long as their air conditioning is working and the beer fridge is loaded.

Jim Button
Vice President Corporate and Community Affairs, Big Rock Brewery

About Big Rock Brewery

From its humble beginnings with three European-style craft ales back in 1987, Big Rock Brewery has grown in an increasingly competitive category and now has fans across Canada, U.S. and Europe.

The Challenge

Big Rock’s team was concerned that with the growth of the craft beer category, their story might be getting lost. They also saw that a digital marketing strategy could further engage beer drinkers.

Our Approach

To uncover the brand’s unique position, we enjoyed their beer, and talked to everyone involved in making, packaging and selling their beer. We quickly uncovered art as the key brand driver.

The Solution

The Big Rock website became the hub for sharing the brewery’s rich, quirky history, and the design reflected the imaginative artisan nature of a true craft brewery. The new website architecture allows Big Rock to quickly publish ongoing promotional sections, including a dedicated site for their user-generated awards show called the Eddies, and a folk festival contest within the site. We also shaped an email and social media strategy to support ongoing sales promotions and audience engagement.

The Result

Fans and employees alike have made the new site a big part of the Big Rock experience. Online marketing efforts have increased the customer database by 30% and counting.

When we were interviewing potential partners for this engagement, we wanted somebody that thought like we did. Comrade was exactly that partner – with the ability to be flexible and agile, and also to be centrally focused on the user experience and the customer experience.

Matthew Macomber
Executive Vice President, Internet Banking Channel, Bank of the West

About Bank of the West

With more than 700 retail and commercial banking branches in 19 states, Bank of the West is the fifth largest bank in California, and one of the top 25 commercial banks in the United States.

The Challenge

Increase sales and improve customer service online while building the Bank of the West brand.

Our Approach

We engaged all stakeholders connected to the Bank to ensure that each had a voice in the process. We audited the entire user experience. We researched and compiled information on the Bank of the West customers and their online practices to inform detailed personas that drove the online strategy.

The Solution

Overhaul personal, small business and commercial public website from the ground up. Create a measurable digital marketing strategy including social media, online account opening, SEO, and interactive demos for key products and features.

Collaborate with multiple partners on designing a usable online banking platform and mobile applications.

The Result

Through improved site usability and effective product merchandising, Bank of the West looks forward to improving customer conversion rates on online account opening, and online banking enrollment.