Twin Cities broker-owner Kris Lindahl has been making headlines with a one-of-a-kind collaboration for Call of Duty’s latest game. Here’s how solid branding — and intellectual property protections — made the deal happen.
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A week ago, Kris Lindahl‘s office received a strange phone call.
On the other end of the line was game studio Activision asking the Twin Cities broker-owner to help launch Black Ops 6, the latest game in their award-winning Call of Duty series. Unfamiliar with the series, Lindahl’s chief marketing officer jotted down a few details, not realizing the opportunity of a lifetime had just come their way.
“When they reached out, my CMO didn’t know what Call of Duty was. I had to tell her,” he said. “I was a little bit shocked they reached out to me. They’re a Microsoft-owned brand. You rarely see international brands collaborate on the local level. For them to be that dialed into the local market, understand what’s going on, and find the market leader … I’m still shocked by everything that’s happening.”
Lindahl immediately called Activision back and began strategizing on how to incorporate The Replacer — an Activision character who does your job while you play Call of Duty— into the broker’s marketing for the game’s Oct. 25 debut. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, and musician The Weekend had already launched their commercials and now it was Lindahl’s turn.
The obvious choice, both teams decided, was having The Replacer recreate Lindahl’s trademark “arms out” pose on hundreds of billboards across Minnesota and Wisconsin and in a reshoot of the brokerage’s 2024 Super Bowl “Big Game” commercial. The billboards and commercial have generated a lot of buzz on social media, with Call of Duty’s post about Lindahl garnering over 100,000 views.
Lindahl’s original ad and the remake with The Replacer | Credit: Kris Lindahl Real Estate
“Real estate is very personal and emotional and there’s a big meaning behind home, and so that collaboration and tie-in of real estate and playing Call of Duty in your home makes a lot of sense,” he told Inman. “I’ve been getting messages, calls, texts, emails from the states we’re in. So many kids are talking to their parents about Call of Duty, and it’s brought so much attention to our brand and the game.”
Lindahl said the collaboration with Activision is a testament to 15 years of consistent and authentic branding.
“You just have to play the long game,” he said. “It’s not a short thing, and that’s where I see most people struggle or fail — they give up too quickly. So many people who are going down the branding path typically quit right before it starts working.”
Beyond consistency, Lindahl said agents and brokers must honestly evaluate their marketing proficiency. If their ideas are failing to generate a noticeable return on investment, then it’s time to find outside help.
“Another thing that’s important is understanding your personality profile,” he said. “I’m a visionary, so I should be leading that innovation and growth. But there are broker-owners, team leaders, and entrepreneurs who don’t have the visionary profile and personality, and they attempt to build a brand when that isn’t their best skill set.”
“So it’s about getting the right people into the right seats, so you’re ready for big opportunities,” he added.
Lastly, Lindahl said every agent should take steps to protect their intellectual property. If he hadn’t trademarked his “arms out” pose, the collaboration with Activision may have never gotten beyond an initial phone call.
“Whether that’s trademarks or copyrights, ensure the things that you’ve worked hard to create and build are protected,” he said. “Any large brand that is going to reach out for some sort of collaboration is going to have the expectations that you have your IP protected, and they’re going to want to have some sort of written agreement in place.”
“Oftentimes, a lot of people in real estate, think too small,” he added. “And if you build an inescapable brand as we have — you’re on the TV, you’re at a sporting event, you’re on the highway, you’re on the radio, you’re streaming — and you’ve invested that much resources, time and money, seek some protection.”
Now the collaboration is done, Lindahl said his team can take a breather and continue to soak in the positivity.
“We have a large team, they have a large team. It took a lot of work around the clock, solving logistical challenges, and fast execution,” he said. “But now it’s getting massive attention around the country, and it’s really exciting.”
