The document summarizes a marketing campaign for the video game Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time conducted on a small budget in South Africa. The campaign involved creating a fictional character, Link Reynolds, who was portrayed as believing he was the protagonist Link from the game. A series of videos were created showing Link Reynolds' quest to find his princess Zelda. The campaign engaged fans online and through real-world stunts, gaining media coverage. It succeeded in building awareness of the game franchise among young people in South Africa through genuine social media interactions.

1. FINDING ZELDA
REPORT

2. The Brief
Nintendo SA needed to create awareness about
the upcoming release of Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time, on a very tight production
budget of R150,000
THE PROBLEM
The Legend Of Zelda might be well known globally
but has not enjoyed the same position in South
Africa.
Our target audience – the youth – don’t like
to be talked at, so we had to devise a plan
that allowed for spontaneous engagement.
The SOLUTION
With the thought that people like to connect
with people, we created Link Reynolds as the
figurehead of our unbranded digital campaign,
and created a series of webisodes of his quest.
This followed the kind of cult following
displayed in the Robin Williams TV spot.
“Meet Link Reynolds”: We created a dating video for Link and Plastered “Missing” poster and fliers in public spaces and universities
signed him up to dating sites

3. The SOLUTION
REAL-WORLD SOLUTION
- Hired an actor to play Link
- Created a Facebook profile and twitter
account for him
- A Facebook page for the fabricated student
film crew, called “Finding Zelda”
- A Youtube channel for Finding Zelda,
feeding content to both Facebook entities.
The Finding Zelda Facebook Page Link Reynolds on Twitter
Link Reynolds’ Facebook profile The Finding Zelda YouTube channel

4. FIRST QUEST– REAL-WORLD STUNT TO GIVE US A NEWSWORTHY STORY
Link Reynolds is a twenty-something middle- ONLINE RESPONSE
class South African who thinks he is the
protagonist of the game, and is obsessed with - News of stunt made it on the blog site
finding his Princess. He tugs at some people’s “Lazygamer”: http://www.lazygamer.co.za
heartstrings through his quest for love, and on - Mentioned in an article on the TimesLive
others’ funny bones through his misadventures. website
- A “Special Focus” link posted on News24.
co.za
REAL-WORLD SOLUTION
rAge gaming expo
- Staged a failed marriage proposal to
Zelda
- Snuck in 300 heart-shaped balloons and
14 helium gas canisters
- Released balloons inside the Coca Cola
Dome
Clockwise from top left: Lazygamer
blog entry; TimesLive article mention
(highlighted in green); News24.co.za
Link looking for his princess at Rage, using Heart-shaped red
Sepcial Focus feature (highlighted in
balloons, fliers, poster and a megaphone
green)

5. SECOND QUEST- SPREAD THE WORD OF LINK’S QUEST THROUGH AN ATL CHANNEL
The only ATL component of the campaign was Link ONLINE RESPONSE
calling the Grant & Anele show on 5FM, and an
in-studio interview. However, Link snuck into Radio Quest
SABC Radio park for an unplanned “Hijacking”
of their show. He brought along poster that - 2 tweets from Grant and Anele. Grant has
the presenters read out for 2 minutes live on 15,165 followers and Anele has 46,863
air. followers.
- people even made their own hashtags
(#LinkandZelda, #LinkReynolds
REAL-WORLD SOLUTION and #Whoislink)
- There was also a tweet by Zelda La Grange,
Radio Quest Nelson Mandela’s assistant (she was 9,343
followers)
- Link called into the Grant and Anele show - 14 wall comments and 10 messages on his
on 5FM asking for help to find Zelda profile.
- Snuck into the SABC Radiopark to “hijack” - 30 new friends on Facebook, with 9 personal
Grant and Anele’s show. With hand-written messages encouraging him to keep looking.
posters against the 5FM studio windows, Co-Creation with tweets
his message reeived free airtime
- Invited into the 5FM studio to have a
live interview
LEFT: Co-creation tweet about
the Legend of Zelda Game;
ABOVE: Another Co-created
Link “hijacking” the Grant & Anele show and in studio a few tweet (the number plate reads:
days later. “LINK GP”)

6. SECOND QUEST- SPREAD THE WORD OF LINK’S QUEST THROUGH AN ATL CHANNEL
Some of the tweets posted during the Radio
Quest activity, including Zelda LaGrange’s
tweet (right):
Some fans managed to get the audio from
the first call Link made and spoofed it.
It has 245 views so far.
Grant & Anele also retweeted this video.

7. THIRD QUEST- REAL-WORLD ACTIVITY/VIDEO CONTENT
“It’s dangerous to go alone, take this...”
Despite this high level of exposure, Link
had still not found his Zelda. After being
depressed, Link picked himself up, as well as
a new follower, Ivan.
We started introducing themes, terminology and
elements from the game.
REAL-WORLD SOLUTION
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Link gets the Master
Some of the “Hero’s training” videos: Sword; Ivan and Link Test-ride Epona; Response to
one of our clips; Ivan and Link reinact a final
battle; Link reflects next to the Deku tree; Sword-
- Back on Epona: Link identifies that a play practice
lady needs transport, and learns to ride
a horse
- Using Magic armor: Went to a traditional
healer, that does “magic”.
- Hanging out with Navi: a little boy came
to help Link with his sword training,
Link thought the boy was Navi.
- The master Sword: sword play practice
with fruit
- Final battle with Ganondorf: Ivan and Link
pretend to face off in a final battle.
- The Great Deku Tree: Link tells of how he
sits and reflects on the destruction of
the Deku tree by Ganondorf
- Spirit stones, the Kokiri forest and Lake
Hyryle were all used in Link’s dialogue,
and as video titles.

8. THIRD QUEST- REAL-WORLD ACTIVITY/VIDEO CONTENT
ONLINE RESPONSE
- Post on gaming blog “Lazy Gamer”, with 7
comments
- Post on El33tonline.co.za blog
- Link posted a response video to the
lazygamer post. Lazygamer rebuttal
received 41 comments.
- 2,367 views on YouTube, and 10 subscribers
- Lazygamer picked up on our quest and put
up regular updates about it.
ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:
el33tonline blog entry; Link
responds to Lazygamer bloggers’
posts; Comments on Link’s video.
Lazygamer blog post on Link’s “hero’s training”.

9. SIDE-QUESTS- MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS AND CO-CREATION WITH FANS
One of the Zeldas that Link cold-called took
interest in his quest. After a screening
process (through Ivan), Link met up with
her. This lead to meaningful co-creation,
with Zelda giving him a photoshoot.
After careful consideration, Link decided
that she must be the Sheik, or the Shadow
Zelda from the game as her feelings for him
were purely platonic.
ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Link meets
Zelda Welgemoed; Link’s photoshoot with
Zelda; Picture courtesy of Zelda Welgemoed
Photography; Picture courtesy of Zelda
Welgemoed Photography
Ivan interviewing Zelda Welgemoed for “Quality control” purposes

10. FOURTH QUEST- CREATE AN EVENT TO REWARD LINK’S SM FRIENDS
Link had a dream about having a party,
with the hope that zelda would be there.
Over 300 avid fans attended the party, with
many girls dressing up as princesses to woo
Link. Link hosted the party and his Facebook
friends got in for free, all in the name of
spreading the word of his quest.
REAL-WORLD SOLUTION
Finding Zelda party
- Got 3 local bands to play at the party
(Naming James, Kite-rider and Shadow CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Link sings the song of time
club) with Naming James; Link meets some princesses
- Link performs the “song of time” with
Naming James
- Gave out free Finding Zelda t-shirts
- Name tags to indentify Zeldas
- Zelda submissions box
- Glow sticks as signifiers of the
triforce
Hyrule Rocks!
Link’s Zelda submissions box and the Finding Zelda t-shirt

11. FOURTH QUEST- CREATE AN EVENT TO REWARD LINK’S SM FRIENDS
ONLINE RESPONSE
Finding Zelda Party Facebook event was created.
- Event received free advertising on - 123 people RSVPed
8 entertainment websites including - 92 said Maybe
gamer-specific sites Nintendogamer and - but 2,053 were invited and saw our message.
el33tonline
Free publicity around event and campaign

12. CONCLUSION
To date, Link has 150 friends.The average 3 Month Campaign
Facebook user has an average of 140 friends.
As a conservative estimate, that means we have PAID MEDIA
been able to reach at least 21,000 people
through their news feeds. - Radio call
- Radio in-studio interview
This is without Link EVER having sent out a
friend request. All engagement was initiated OWNED MEDIA
by Link’s fans and friends - true, real and
sincere interactions. People inititating - Free PR - Radio “hijack” estimated PR
conversations around the brand and the brand value of R50,000
not talking at them. - Online and Print media estimated value
R102,000
by bringing in elements and themes from the
Legend of Zelda, we managed to educate the EARNED MEDIA
South African audience about the game and have
started a local cult following. - Link’s Facebook Profile (152 friends)
- Finding Zelda Facebook page (76 likes)
- Finding Zelda YouTube Channel (2,367
views on YouTube, and 10 subscribers)
- Twitter account
3,9 Million Active
Facebook users in
South Africa
21,000
friends
152
Link’s
friends

13. THE WAY FORWARD
- The crew decides to make a short film
about Link’s quest and tries to market
it?
- Continue Link’s quest when the next game
comes out?
- Have a “Finding Link” campaign where
Zelda tries to find Link.
LINK CONTINUES ALONE
The Legend of Zelda never has a “Hollywood”
type ending. Link might defeat Ganondorf in
the final battle and rescue Zelda, but Link
always has to keep looking for her in the next
game and all its quests.
We saw it fitting to end the campaign with
Link not having found his Zelda, but still
resolute about finding her. Styaing true to
the game, the quest contiues...

14. THANK YOU!!!