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Digging deeper into gaming—and continuing to wrap its arms around chart-topping musicians—Beats by Dre debuted co-branded headphones with Minecraft, announced via a quirky animated video with an Imagine Dragons soundtrack.
The short film, from Paris-based creative agency Golgotha, uses the single “Wake Up” from the Grammy Award-winning band’s new album for a fast-paced peek into Minecraft’s pixelated world.
The work introduces the special-edition Beats Solo 4 headphones with Minecraft-inspired designs, metallic green hinges and the game’s popular Creeper character as embellishments.
Apple-owned Beats has a long history of collaborations across fashion, art, sports, music and gaming, working with the National Basketball Association, Stüssy, FaZe Clan, graphic designers, streetwear retailers and others on limited-edition products.
“Beats is always looking for ways to connect with new audiences at the center of innovation and culture,” Chris Thorne, chief marketing officer at Beats, told ADWEEK. “As we continue to engage with the gaming community, it makes sense to partner with Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all-time. With this film, we wanted to put our own unique spin on the world of Minecraft to highlight the power of music in shaping our world.”
2009 to now
Minecraft kicked off an aggressive promotional push that started in May, celebrating its 15th anniversary with the advent calendar-style “15 Days of Minecraft.” Fans could get freebies each day, along with heavy discounts on Minecraft Legends, Minecraft Dungeons and other games.
The game’s developer, Mojang, also recently released a Minecraft update, which MSN.com says focuses on “multiplayer combat through new weapons, potions and enchantments,” aimed at stoking newbie interest in the franchise and keeping loyalists engaged.
During its lifespan, Minecraft has permeated the far reaches of the globe, with millions of players from small to major markets to less-obvious locales including Antarctica and Vatican City, per the brand. Like Beats, the brand has a track record in cross-category alliances, such as last year’s tie-in with Crocs.
