• by Danielle Oster , August 16, 2025

Last week, you might have heard about the debut of a tech company called The Guild. A video campaign called “Don’t Fear Tomorrow” heralded the launch, and various announcements appeared in publications including Forbes and Wired, with ad placements promising “Tech You Can Trust.” But the ads were promoting a company that doesn’t actually exist — at least not outside the world of gaming.

It was all part of a campaign promoting the launch of the latest game in Activision’s popular “Call of Duty” series, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” 72andSunny Los Angeles was the creative agency, collaborating with Mutiny, who designed to digital presence for “The Guild.”

The campaign also included OOH ads  for The Guild across Silicon Valley, with confrontational messages such as, “We’re not owned by a tech billionaire, are you?” and “The biggest lie tech ever told is that it’s on your side.”

Within the game, The Guild is a global tech force focused on building robotics and billing itself as humanity’s last line of defense.

After the earlier placements for the fictional company, Activation released a launch video  revealing the nature of The Guild. The game doesn’t yet have an official launch date,  but numerous gaming publications — including GameSpot and IGN — reported that leaked information indicates the release date will be Nov. 14.

In addition to drawing out speculative reactions from influencers and audiences online, and building intrigue around the mysterious company, the stunt also drew audiences into themes explored in the game.

“As we ramp up to the worldwide reveal of 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,' we set out to create something as bold and thought-provoking as the game itself,” Activision CMO Tyler Baylor said in a statement. “Set in 2035, it draws on themes of technology, robotics, and the military-industrial complex, amplifying the tension and intrigue that define the Black Ops experience.”

"The world stands at a crossroads, where technology could be humanity’s salvation or merely its self-destruct button,” added 72andSunny Los Angeles Executive Creative Director Zach Hilder. “This campaign locks eyes with that paradox.”