The world can't end fast enough for me, because I'm sick to death of hearing about the Mayan prediction that Dec. 21 will be the last day ever. Can't the red-hot destruction arrive this weekend so we can have a little peace? Which brings us to Dikembe Mutombo's 4½ Weeks to Save the World, an advergame created by Wieden + Kennedy for Old Spice that lets users play the role of the 7-foot-2 NBA defensive legend. Being all of 5-foot-5, this is a proposition I find particularly attractive. The high-concept premise, delivered with amusingly annoying old-school gaming sounds and 8-bit graphics, teams the defender of the planet with sidekick Science the Bear for a bit of Sherman-and-Peabody-style banter before the big guy enters Level 1, descending into the Earth to thwart an apocalyptic Gangnam-inspired South Korean dance craze. (Frankly, the Macarena was far more annoying, and I'm amazed it didn't cause mankind's demise in '95.) The forced wackiness of "Save the World" kind of wore me out. But since we're running low on time, what the heck, might as well play. Dikembe will face new perils each week until … game over? Credits below.
CREDITS
Client: Old Spice
Project: "Dikembe Mutombo's 4½ Weeks to Save the World" Video Game
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Executive Creative Directors: Mark FItzloff, Susan Hoffman
Creative Directors: Jason Bagley, Craig Allen
Interactive Creative Director: Matt O'Rourke
Copywriter: Andy Laugenour
Art Director: Max Stinson
Senior Interactive Producer: Mike Davidson
Interactive Producer: Ben Kendall
UX Designer: Jake Doran
Director of Broadcast Production: Ben Grylewicz
Director of Interactive Production: Pierre Wendling
Management Supervisor: Michael Dalton
Account Supervisor: Liam Doherty
Business Affairs: Cindy Lewellen
Media Team: Kelly Muller, Kerry Antos, Lisa Feldhusen
Game Development
Game Maker: Adam Atomic/Adam Saltsman
Artist: Paul Veer
Artist: Sven Ruthner
Composer: Jukio Kallio
Sound Designer: Robin Arnott
Animation
Animation Company: Powerhouse Animation Studios
CEO: Brad Graeber
Studio Director: Jason Williams
Production Director: Louie Granda
Creative Director: Sam Deats
Animators: Chris Beaver, Ed Booth, Kellan Stover
Website Development
Digital Development Company: Driftlab
Developer: Ash Warren
Developer: Nate Horstmann
Developer: Dan Will
Animator: Joe Corrao