• by Aaron Baar , May 5, 2009

In the gamer world, video games tied-in to movies have a certain reputation, and it isn't good. Overcoming the hurdle of low expectations was a key strategic point for Activision when it came time to promote its latest movie tie-in game, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

"Generally, movie games are lame," says Ari Merkin, chief creative officer of Toy, the New York agency that created the campaign. "We had to send a message loud and clear that this wasn't your typical movie game."

Unlike most other commercials for video games, Toy's campaign -- its first work for Activision since being added to the company's roster of agencies in February -- uses no game or movie footage to sell the concept. Instead, the spot, called "Capitivity," is intended to make it feel like the viewer is seeing the world through the eyes of the title character.

Shot in first person, the commercial makes it look as if the character is waking up in a high-security prison. As the character breaks out of prison, he fights and roughs up heavily armed prison guards, while sound effects (such as the metallic whoosh of Wolverine's admantium claws extending) give hints that the viewpoint is Wolverine's.

"It creates the feeling that you get when you play the game," Anne Bologna, CEO of Toy, tells Marketing Daily. "Movie marketing and game marketing use the same formula. This is about what it feels like to be behind the claws."

The rationale for not incorporating game footage was simple, according to Merkin. Among Internet and tech-savvy gamers, the ability to find game footage on the Web is simple. The task now is to build enough interest for them to seek it out. "It's a new day for video game marketing," Merkin says. "Kids know where to find game footage if they want to. Nobody really needs to see another television commercial with game footage."

Also, many of the scenes in the Mature-rated game were not suitable for television, he adds. The agency needed to hint at the intrigue without using them. "It's the difference between showing a lot of violence and evoking the intensity," Bologna says.

In addition to the television commercial, Toy created print and online advertisements for the game. One of the ads uses the familiar technique of using critical praise for the game (in the form of direct quotations), with a twist. "Devastatingly visceral," reads one quote. Another calls the game,"100% badass." Finally, a third quote -- "Adequate" -- is attributed to Wolverine.

The television commercial began running May 1 on networks such as NBC, Fox, USA, Comedy Central and ESPN. Online sites included GameSpot and UGO, while print ads will run in books such as Marvel Comics and GamePro.