Mixer

A total Ninja (and Shroud) move

Ninja and Shroud are two of the biggest streamers in the world. So leaving Twitch and coming to Mixer was bigger than a big deal. We were tapped with creating the videos that would not only serve as their announcements but also inspire and excite their core audiences. It wasn’t as simple as it sounds. Ninja was first, and the news was top secret and business crucial. We worked in a small team using code names, sequestered our editor, and kept everything hidden not just from the world but from almost all of our own agency. On a tight timeline, under cover of night, we concepted, wrote, filmed, edited, and launched the film that would break the internet (kinda). And then we did it again.

Results that almost broke the internet

14M views in 24 hours

No. 1 downloaded app in the App Store

No. 2 trending video on YouTube

No. 1 searched topic on Google

Not just a tease

We created a teaser for Ninja to post the day before his announcement, generating a ton of hype, excitement, and speculation for what was to come. At this point, the actual content of the announcement was still top secret. We ensured people would tune in the next day while keeping a close eye on the social media buzz to see if anyone guessed what was up. The internet started buzzing and, best of all, nobody knew what was about to happen.

A mic drop to end all mic drops

The day after the teaser, Ninja shared the announcement video on his social channels. We turned the PR announcement trope on its head by casting Ninja in every speaking role, letting him bring the wacky comedy he’s known and loved for. The media and his audience gobbled it up to the tune of over 10 million views in the first 24 hours. Every major news outlet picked up the news and many shared our video along with their articles. Mixer became the No. 1 downloaded app in the App Store and the No. 1 trending topic on Google. The video was the No. 2 trending video on YouTube, and Mixer got hundreds of thousands of new subscribers. The secret was out, the news was big, and according to the internet, our video had done it justice. Mic. Dropped.

And another one

After the huge success of the Ninja announcement video, we were tapped with doing the same for Shroud. Same goal, same expectations, tighter timeline. Our biggest challenge (besides pulling it off in nine days) was how to find the balance between Mixer’s offbeat quirkiness and Shroud’s certified first-person-shooter badassery. Thanks to some great neon lighting design and Shroud’s wonderful—and funny—girlfriend bnans, we were able to make it happen. He and his audience loved it, but more importantly, we made sure the world knew that Ninja coming to Mixer wasn’t just a one-off. Big names will always make big moves.