• by Fern Siegel , October 15, 2024

David New York produced its own version of scary in a new spot for Supercell, a mobile game developer.

Geared to Halloween, the ad uses classic movie tropes of haunted tech and the prospect of death in "The Royale Curse."

Here, the players of the mobile game Clash Royale face a new threat: Lose if you dare. Directed by Kelsey Taylor of Eleanor, the work dovetails with Clash Royale's updates and Halloween in-game events. The Blackboard Challenge runs through Oct. 21. Doctor Goblinstein enters the arena Oct. 21-28, while the Spooky Chess Royale returns Oct. 28-Nov. 4.

The creative is the latest effort in the agency's ongoing relationship with the brand.

"A cursed item is a classic horror film trope. We thought, what if the cursed item was our iconic game, Clash Royale? Our partners at Supercell saw the entertainment potential in this and encouraged us to commit to the horror genre and deliver the chills and thrills to their millions of fans this Halloween season," said André Toledo, CCO, David New York. 

Two months ago, David New York and Supercell produced an Olympics-themed campaign #BringHomeThe Gold. Most recently, they launched The Heavyweight Case, a unique physical challenge for mobile gamers featuring strongman Eddie Hall.

The agency's client work includes Burger King, Corona, Dove and HSBC.