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Recently, the Call of Duty franchise surprised all its followers with a tweet referring to the famous Mexican band, Banda MS.
Nobody knew what it was about; why did they mention the Banda MS? Well, after generating many doubts among the fans. The franchise revealed a collaboration that no one expected, an original song by Banda MS for the Call of Duty franchise.
Is this canon? Many asked because the collaboration announcement was something nobody saw coming. And yes, the collaboration is official, and they released an incredible song, which you can see below.
Surely many will wonder how this happened? what was the goal? So to answer those questions for you, the LEVEL UP team contacted the agency responsible for creating this fantastic collaborative campaign. The agency's name is Archer Troy, an advertising agency made up of advertising creatives and experienced Marketing professionals based in Mexico.
Next, we will show you an exclusive interview conducted by LEVEL UP US for Archer Troy to learn more about this collaboration. In addition, you can see behind-the-scenes images of the official video.
HERE IS THE INTERVIEW
What was the idea and goal of a new campaign for Call of Duty?
“With a portion of the single-player campaign set in Mexico, we knew that we had a unique opportunity in Mexico and the Hispanic market with Modern Warfare II,” said Rodrigo Pérez, Senior Brand Manager of Latin America for Call of Duty. “It has been exciting creating something special for the fans of Call of Duty and Banda MS that we have never done before.” Call of Duty and Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga collaborated to create a unique song for the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, available globally on October 28th. The song, a traditional Mexican Corrido, is a celebration for Call of Duty and Banda MS fans worldwide.
Why take Mexican elements for the new release?
Entitled “141”, the song is inspired by the iconic members of the legendary Task Force 141 and Alejandro Vargas from the Mexican Special Forces and ties in directly with the narrative of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. With settings from Mexico inside the game, Mexican culture was essential to explore and feel.
How did the collaboration between the Banda MS and Call of Duty come about?
“The story, through the single campaign mode, shows us Mexicans fighting the good causes, even against other Mexicans. Just like Task Force 141 does. Mexico has a unique music genre to tell stories: the “corrido,” and with Banda MS and the song “1 4 1,” #C.O.D.rrido was born: a subgenre of “corridos” that sings to the good guys, turning the historical narrative of this musical style upside down,” said Carlos Fernández Oxté, Executive Creative Director at Archer Troy.
What was the reaction of the Banda MS when you proposed the idea to them?
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Call of Duty,” said Sergio Lizárraga, founder of Banda MS. “We are proud to contribute to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II with something as engraved in Mexican culture as a Corrido. We cannot wait for everyone to listen to our song”.
How was the process of recording the music video?
The 141 Music Video, inspired by the Modern Warfare universe and featuring members of Banda MS was shot in Mazatlán, Sinaloa in September, 2022. An exciting, interesting, full of laughs and hard work experience alongside Activision, Banda MS, Archer Troy & Rebolucion films.
How involved was Activision in this collaboration?
Call of Duty and Banda MS collaborate on a completely original song to be integrated into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.
“We're extremely honored to collaborate with Banda MS, one of today’s most important Mexican bands”, said Stephen Miller, Audio Director at Infinity Ward. “The 141 song expands on the very essence of Task Force 141, touching on the narrative of Modern Warfare II. The Corrido will be integrated into Modern Warfare II, with several versions that can be found throughout different parts of the game”.
Before launching the campaign, what were the concerns of the fans' reactions?
“The most influential regional Mexican band of the moment and the most important video game in the world become one under a song in Spanish, more Mexican than ever and that we are sure everyone will sing while enjoying the game.” said Mike Arciniega, Creative Vice President and Founder of Archer Troy.
Are you satisfied with the attention received towards the campaign?
Unprecedented Musical Collaboration for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will always ignite conversation. Hype for the game is at its peak; it makes us happy to see everyone as eager as us to play the game and all its features.
Do you think they achieved the objective of the campaign?
“Today two industries that seemed impossible to mix, banda music and the world of gaming, come together in one voice through a never-before-seen collaboration. An anthem with cultural significance for Mexico and Latin America” said Mike Arciniega, Creative Vice president and Founder of Archer Troy.
We hope you have enjoyed this interview and now you know a little more about the objective behind the great collaboration between the Banda MS group and Call of Duty.
Stay informed on LEVEL UP.
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