Dive Brief:

• Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group is celebrating 20 years of the iconic holiday movie “Elf” through an immersive Roblox experience, per a press release. The activation was made with creative studio Fairview Portals and virtual world developer Supersocial. 
• Consumers within the experience can don an elf hat and take on various roles in Santa’s workshop that include Wish Taker, Toy Maker and Gift Wrapper. In exchange for their service, players can receive presents and digital wearables. 
• The experience will expand over the coming months with new features and experiences. The playful activation could help Warner Bros. extend the popularity of the film to new audiences, particularly the key younger demographic.

Dive Insight:

Warner Bros. is bringing fresh energy to its popular “Elf” movie just in time for its 20th anniversary. The 2003 Jon Favreau film starring Will Ferrell is consistently regarded as one of the most popular holiday movies of all time. As of Nov. 1, the movie was ranked second in popularity on Max, the streaming platform owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The new Roblox experience, called “Elf North Pole Workshop,” could allow consumers to deepen their connection with the property to help extend its longevity. 

Through the experience, consumers can explore a world similar to that of the movie and contribute to the success of Santa’s workshop by taking on three different roles, each meant to further the theme of community and togetherness. Players can track their collective progress on the Clausometer, and will be rewarded with digital wearables, among other prizes. Other nods to the movie that users can expect will be appearances from key characters from “Elf,” like Mr. Narwhal and Leon the Snowman. 

To further immerse users in the experience, the activation contains music from “Elf” film composer John Debney, per details shared with Marketing Dive. Additionally, the visual landscape pulls inspiration from the movie’s stop-motion animation style by utilizing effects like tilt-shift camera, desatured environments and material-inspired textures. A 30-second experience trailer gives consumers a taste of what can be explored. 

Roblox has become something of a brand magnet in recent years as marketers attempt to forge a stronger connection with the platform’s younger user base. Aside from Warner Bros., marketers such as Walmart and Gap have deployed immersive experiences of their own. The “Elf” activation comes several months after Warner Bros. Discovery renamed its streaming service, which combines its HBO Max and Discovery+ offerings, to Max.