Ketchup giant Heinz has embarked on a campaign to raise awareness of soil health by targeting Gen Z Fortnite players.
It has created a Fortnite destination called SOS Tomato Island in which players are challenged to maintain the health of a tomato farm. The island shrinks if it is not tended properly.
The effort is part of a multi-channel campaign by Heinz to put the spotlight on over farming and what it's doing to the soil. On SOS Tomato Island, players encouraged to use the methods that Heinz endorse such as crop rotation, cover cropping and soil cover maintenance.
Over in the real world, Heinz has pledged to protect 13.5 million acres of soil in addition to existing environmental efforts as part of its soil health program.
Fortnite and other immersive world video games have emerged as compelling destinations for marketers in recent years. The user numbers are huge – Fortnite has an estimated four million players – and the level of attention is high. When Fortnite began hosting in-game concerts, it attracted 10.7 million players to a show EDM DJ Marshmello.