The Call of Duty: Mobile x Ronald Acuña Jr. campaign was designed to expand the game’s cultural footprint while driving measurable performance outcomes through authentic gameplay storytelling.
Our primary objective was to introduce CODM to new sports-first audiences who may not have been familiar with the franchise or mobile FPS genre, while simultaneously re-engaging lapsed players and reinforcing credibility with core fans.
Rather than using Ronald as a surface-level ambassador, we built the campaign around a key insight: he plays Call of Duty: Mobile every day. He uses the game to relax, sharpen reflexes, and stay mentally competitive. The creative challenge was to authentically integrate an MLB superstar into gaming culture without alienating players.
The Hero Video established his credibility as a real player by showcasing his preferred operators, gameplay style, and competitive mindset.
The “Grenade Match Cut” extended this narrative through humor-driven, gameplay-integrated editing that reinforced authenticity while increasing shareability.
Together, these assets were built to position CODM not just as entertainment, but as part of a high-performance lifestyle by bridging elite sports and competitive gaming.
The campaign rolled out globally in July, 2025 during MLB All-Star Week, strategically aligning with a peak cultural moment.
The Hero Video served as the narrative anchor. Ronald spoke in his native Venezuelan Spanish, preserving authenticity and deepening cultural resonance, particularly across Latin American audiences. The video blended cinematic storytelling with live gameplay footage, highlighting his squad leadership, and signature “always in fire mode” mentality. To visually merge his athletic and gaming identities, we created a custom “La Bestia” bat inspired by his in-game persona. This tangible crossover element reinforced that this partnership was rooted in genuine passion.
The “Grenade Match Cut” was designed as high-energy, entertainment-first content. Through precise match-cut editing, we linked in-game grenade moments with footage from Ronald’s in-person shoot, including the custom bat. The humor-driven format maximized watch-through and sharing while maintaining gameplay relevance.
A key challenge was balancing credibility with accessibility. We solved this by tightly integrating real gameplay into both assets, ensuring that humor and storytelling never drifted from the game itself. Every creative beat reinforced that Ronald is not a spokesperson, he is a player.
The campaign delivered strong performance across both awareness and engagement metrics:
Hero Video:
Grenade Match Cut:
Across all assets, total engagements exceeded 120K.
The Hero Video validated long-form storytelling rooted in gameplay authenticity, while the Grenade Match Cut proved that humor-forward gaming content drives high share velocity. Together, these results demonstrate how culturally credible athlete integration can meaningfully expand a gaming title’s reach while reinforcing trust within the community, delivering both performance growth and brand equity.
