Firefly

UIP embraces in-game ads for promotion of major sci-fi films By Dominic Dudley

UIP International has signed its first ever in-game advertising deal, with a campaign to promote three movies over the next six months. The film distributor is to spend a six-figure sum on promoting three big-budget sci-fi films being released between October and the end of the year. All activity will be in the Anarchy Online game, running on the in-game ad network run by Massive Network.

The three films are Doom (itself based on the hugely successful computer game), Aeon Flux, starring Charlize Theron, and Serenity, from director Joss Whedon, the maker of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All three are being aimed at a young male audience.

UIP said that it decided to launch with three major films, rather than test out in-game advertising on a smaller release, because of the close fit between the target audience for the game and all three films. "It’ll be pretty ubiquitous," said Neil Wirasinha, international media director for UIP. "There will be quite a lot of static ads, but as we move closer to the release dates we’ll do more of the streaming stuff." The ads will be delivered when the gamer is connected to the Internet. They’ll remain in the game until the next time the player connects, when they can be updated.

The deal with Massive Network was brokered by Hyper Happen, acting as UIP International’s digital consultant. The films will be promoted across nine European markets, including the UK, as well as Brazil and Australia. The first ads will be screened later this week for Serenity, released in the UK on 7 October. They will be followed by ads for Doom and then Aeon Flux, with the campaign due to continue through to February next year. Wirasinha said that UIP is already lining up similar campaigns for next year, around major releases like Mission Impossible 3 and Splinter Cell.