Game developer Ubisoft is promoting the new game Watch Dogs using proximity marketing, offering gamers who interact with the brand using smartphones the chance to win prizes.

The six-week marketing campaign, developed by Proxama, combines NFC (Near Field Communication) and QR codes on in-store point-of-sale displays in selected branches of UK retailer Game.

Inspired by the game itself, the competitions asks players to use their smartphones to decrypt a message, leading to entry into a prize draw. In the game, the protagonist uses a smartphone to hack into a futuristic version of Chicago, stealing information and causing malfunctions.

“We always strive to create a new level of buzz around the launch of every game, and with something as hotly anticipated as Watch Dogs, we needed to think creatively as to what would be the most relevant way to interact and engage with our games” said Dan Archbold, UK & export channel marketing executive at Ubisoft.

The campaign uses Proxamas TapPoint software as the underlying platform, providing Ubisoft with valuable feedback about the competitions success.

“Partnering with Proxama to bring this competition to life has given the digital element of this launch a new dimension,” Archbold said, “and will help us learn more about how we can improve our brand engagement strategy in the future.”