Grey London: Pringles searches for a paid NPC. (You have to be human)

Grey London and Pringles are offering someone the chance to get paid to work in a video game as an NPC (that’s non playable character, for non-gamers). The activation, part of Pringles’ Stay in the Game, campaign, will invite applications and then select a candidate to appear as an NPC in Train Sim World – the train simulation game available with Xbox Game Pass – as a Pringles vending machine re-filler with a prize of £20,000

To support the launch, Grey London has produced a series of films showing existing NPCs in Train Sim World being less than happy about the fact that a human is going to become an NPC in their game and be paid for it.

Laura Jordan Bambach, president and chief creative officer of Grey London, stated, “Pringles is paying a flesh-and-blood human to do a virtual role – the metaverse just got real. It’s a privilege to work with a client who says yes to these bonkers ideas.”

Those interested in applying are invited to post a creative video or selfie with a Pringles can explaining why they would be the best Pringles vending machine refiller NPC in under 50 words on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook including the hashtag #PringlesStayInTheGame and tag @Pringles_UK. Applications for the position opened on June 20 2022 and close on July 6 2022. Fifty applicants will then be randomly selected and put onto a shortlist, where each will be judged on its creativity, originality, and rationale as to why they will make the best Pringles vending machine refilling NPC. One successful applicant will then be chosen, and their likeness will be virtually reproduced and 3D modelled, so they appear as themselves in Train Sim World from September this year.

To encourage further participation, a talking Pringles vending machine appeared at The Green, Boxpark Shoreditch on Tuesday June 21 to interview potential candidates. Over 100 people applied for the role including the comms manager from a well-known Premier League football club. The vending machine was voiced by stand-up comedian, Ian Smith. Footage from the interviews is being released on Pringles social channels.

Global group creative directors Aaron McGurk & Chris Lapham at Grey London, commented, “Who wouldn’t want to become an NPC? Everyone talks about robots taking our work, but now we have the chance to take theirs. The gaming world has opened up doors to opportunities that only existed in our dreams, and in this case, the dream of becoming a vending machine filler.”

The new campaign, developed in association with Dovetail Games and Xbox, aims to place Pringles at the very heart of modern gaming culture, making it the ultimate gaming accessory – an ambition in line with its wider aim to be the official snack brand for all social occasions. It uses social, in-game advertising, live stream on Twitch and OOH plus PR support. The competition is running across Europe, with applications open to core markets of UK, France and Germany and additional promotion in Italy and Spain.

Aisling O’Hara, Pringles European marketing manager, stated, ”We always like to come up with new and innovative ways to reach and excite our target audience and what better way than a world first? We’re really looking forward to seeing the Mind Popping entries – it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and we want people to get as creative as possible with their applications.”

Grey’s new work is the next stage of the Mind Popping platform it has created for Pringles, which is built on the idea that the brand’s ingenuity will blow your mind. It also follows the unprecedented success of Grey London’s 2021 campaign for the Kellogg-owned brand, in which a zombie called Frank escape from the game, West of Dead, into the lounge of a Twitch streamer and live in the real world for two weeks before returning to the game.

Credits
Client: Kellogg’s
Senior Director: Kelly Rafferty
European Marketing Director: Stephen Duggan
European Marketing Manager: Aisling O’Hara
Senior Brand Manager: David Juvany
Senior Digital Manager: Roisin Devine
Digital Marketing Manager: Stephen McSweeney
Senior Media Manager: Gavin McGuinness
Media Specialist: Louise Murphy
European Director – Content and Digital: Chris Wildish
Marketing Operations Manager, EMEA: Fergus Brady

Agency: Grey London
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Javier Campopiano
President & CCO: Laura Jordan Bambach
ECD: David Wigglesworth
Global Group CDs: Christopher Lapham & Aaron McGurk
Associate Creative Directors: Angela Harding & Terry O’Neill
CSO: Raquel Chicourel
Planning Partner: Lee Barber
Senior Planner: Gilliam Caldwell Dunn
Managing Partner: Agi Varanyi
Group Business Director: Tamsine Foggin
Account Director: James Kenrick
Account Manager: Danielle Webb
Executive Producer: Nazneen Read
Producers: Jack Pethurst & India Smith
Project Manager: Daniela De Lisi
Designer: Tyrone Zall
Editor: Ollie Flux
Artwork: Nigel Miller

Console Partner: Xbox
EMEA partnership Lead: Gordon Donald
MIAI Brand Partnerships Managing Director: Claudine Harris
MIAI Brand Partnerships Partnership Manager: Kali Ketchen

Game Partner: Dovetail Games
VP of Marketing: Keith Anderson
Head of Creative Services: Roxy Francis
Assistant Producer: Catriona Barber

Media Agency: Carat