Eidos picks Rainey Kelly for Tomb Raider global launch
Computer games publisher Eidos has appointed Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R to handle global advertising for the launch of the latest addition to the Tomb Raider series, Tomb Raider: Legend.
The agency won the account following a competitive pitch against a number of undisclosed agencies. It is believed that Feref, the agency that handled the &£2m global launch of Tomb Raider: the Angel of Darkness, was involved.
It is understood that Eidos is planning to roll the game out next spring and is expected to invest over &£2m in the launch. It will be available on the next-generation Xbox 360 format, as well as PlayStation 2, PC and handheld platforms.
It is understood that Eidos is hoping that the launch will rejuvenate the Tomb Raider brand and appeal to hardcore gamers as well as new consumers. Industry observers say that the game’s heroine Lara Croft suffered from over-exposure, but Eidos is hoping a revamped heroine and news features will return the game to its previous form.
Tomb Raider and Lara Croft have been a global success for Eidos, becoming household names.
In 1999 Eidos and SmithKline Beecham, now GlaxoSmithKline, signed a four- year brand tie-up between Lara Croft and the Lucozade energy drink brand in a &£25m ad blitz (MW April 22, 1999).
