Meet Walter is a product launch video modeled after real-world tech launches. It introduces Walter (Michael Fassbender) as a customizable android that’s been tweaked to deliver the optimal service experience. Walter doesn’t rebel. Set in a remote Weyland-Yutani research lab, a pair of anonymous bioengineers incept a synthetic being. The video shows his physical body compiled and cultured in a protein-based liquid. The assembly culminates with the placement of an AMD brain chip into the skull. After gestating, the final product is revealed: Walter.

We also established a new kind of partnership that could lead the way for future collaborations between film studios and brands. Traditionally, partnerships are created after the film is complete. We forged a relationship at the start of production to create a more natural, organic outcome that was mutually beneficial for both sides—and to have that inform the creative throughout all stages of development.

We introduced the Meet Walter launch with an eerie 15-second invitation video posted across studio and brand channels. It invited fans, press and audiences to save the date of the big reveal. We followed with an official Walter product poster that highlighted key details about the android. On the big day, we debuted the 2-minute Walter product video launch at SXSW with a special fan event featuring Ridley Scott, Michael Fassbender and AMD CEO Lisa Su. The video then launched across key digital and social channels with coordinated coverage from major outlets across the worlds of entertainment, tech, advertising and film. All content drove audiences to a Meet Walter website where visitors could review Walter’s features and reserve their very own synthetic companion. We partnered with Twitter to extend the experience with an auto-response campaign that delivered fans personalized video messages from Walter himself.

The Meet Walter campaign was a major success. The product video garnered more than 10 million video views across digital platforms and was covered by more than 140 press outlets. It achieved a stunning 72% YouTube retention rate as well as a 29% Facebook engagement rate (vs. a 25% movie trailer average benchmark). Between the video and supporting content, Meet Walter had people talking. It was the #2 trending topic on Reddit movies and delivered more than 4 million social engagements. According to ListenFirst’s Digital Audience Ratings, Meet Walter was the #1 most talked-about theatrical release—outpacing Logan and Beauty and the Beast. It was also a clear success for AMD. The day after the Walter launch, AMD saw their stock climb. Investors saw the partnership as a shining example of the company’s dedication to innovation in artificial intelligence.