What it had to solve
Launch Diablo IV, the ultimate action RPG full of Hellish hordes and legendary loot, to gamers who love to snack and sip while playing.
How it works
Fans tweeted @Diablo with #DemonMeatShake and #DiabloPromo for home delivery of around 1,000 shakes in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago on 19 May; an invitation-only NYC 'IV-course' dinner on 17 May served the shake as its final surprise course. Food design by Bompas & Parr, assets shot by Tuukka Koski.
What it did
Around 1,000 shakes were delivered to fans in three cities, with teasers running across digital, social and PR to spark launch curiosity.
Background
To launch Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo IV, agency B-Reel dared gamers to taste something no one on earth had tried: a Demon Meat Shake. The lore: after the open beta, piles of demons slain by thousands of players were left lying around the game world — so rather than waste them, Diablo chopped, drained and blended them into a shake inspired by the iconic returning villain, the Butcher. The devilish twist: by human standards, it is 100% vegan.
On 19 May 2023, eligible fans across the US could get the Butcher's Special delivered to their home by tweeting @Diablo with the #DemonMeatShake and #DiabloPromo hashtags, with around 1,000 shakes bound for gamers in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Two days earlier, an invitation-only dinner in NYC brought Diablo-loving VIPs a 'IV-course' meal from the depths of the game, with the shake as the final surprise.
The shake was created with experiential food designers Bompas & Parr, photographed by former Michelin-starred sous-chef turned director Tuukka Koski, with a 'smoothie from hell' logo by illustrator Mander. Blizzard's Kaleb Ruel: 'Diablo IV will deliver us from evil. But first, we're delivering the world of Diablo to gamers in the most unexpected & shareable way possible.'
Why it lands
The premise rewards players — their beta kills 'produced' the shake — making fans the supply chain of the joke.
The vegan twist keeps the macabre edible, so press can cover the stunt without gross-out risk.
Tweet-to-order makes the distribution mechanism itself the social campaign.
What you can take
In-game lore can become real product: turn gameplay statistics (demons slain) into a consumable story fans must tweet to taste.
Since then
The shakes were teased across digital, social and PR ahead of the 19 May 2023 delivery date, designed as a 'you have to try this' brand moment for the launch.
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