Diablo IV parodies ’80s toy advertising with gory ‘SlayPals’ spot

Everyone loves a good children’s toy commercial that starts off all wholesome and ends with copious amounts of blood and killing at a demented tea party. That’s exactly what happens in The Many’s new spot for Blizzard Entertainment’s new Diablo IV: Vessels of Hatred video game. The ad introduces a fake doll brand called “SlayPals.” We see a goateed man-child playing with his SlayPal in a backyard, as a disturbing jingle lists off some of the doll’s proclivities, including decapitation. Before long, the spot—promoting the game’s new mercenary characters—is a veritable bloodbath. Also see: 13 creative campaigns to know about today “As a culture, we obsess over nostalgic movies, music and toys,” said Nate Totten, creative director at The Many Studios, which produced the spot. “We wanted to tap into ’80s and ’90s nostalgia with a demented Diablo IV blood-soaked twist.” “Diablo has a passionate, die-hard audience—some of which have been playing since the ’90s,” adds Krystha Dart, Diablo senior manager of global digital marketing. “Tapping into audience insights, we knew nostalgia content would play right into our core’s positive feels for the game they love.” The campaign also includes a sing-along version of the jingle, where fans can share their own mercenary gameplay highlight reels set to the evil earworm. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Diablo IV parodies ’80s toy advertising with gory ‘SlayPals’ spot

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