Looper Network Game Ends With Mission 5, Maxx Labs Goes Live Dan Koelsch, September 18, 2012 Looper is a sci-fi action film written and directed by Rian Johnson. In 2077, murder is too difficult to get away with, so the mob sends back targets to 2047 to be wacked by hitmen called “Loopers”. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Joseph Simmons, a top Looper who ends up being faced with closing his loop when his future self (Bruce Willis) is his next target. The film’s viral campaign has you become part of the Looper Network, but your target keeps escaping. Check out the details of your final mission after the break. The website for Maxx Labs has been around for a while, but it finally goes live to help you find the code for Mission 5. In the world of Looper, telekinesis is a mutation that over 15% of the population has. Maxx Labs studies the TK mutation, and their website has images of reported cases. The mission clue involves a clock, so find the clock face in the images to get the four digit code. Once entered, you chase your target to the farmhouse, where you finally close your loop (kill your future self).Unfortunately, that’s it. This looks to be the end of the Looper viral campaign, and it ends rather unremarkably. It had a lot of potential, but the overall experience was rather underwhelming to me. Let us know what you thought in the comments below.On the off chance that there is more to this campaign, we’ll be sure to bring it to you. Check out Looper when it opens in theaters on September 28th. ARGs & Campaigns Viral Marketing LooperLooper Network
Latest Toy Story Viral Video Teams Up With Google June 8, 2010June 9, 2010In the latest viral video for Toy Story 3, the Pixar film has teamed up with Google. Woody, Buzz, Rex, and the rest of the gang are featured (though not shown) in Google’s latest video from their Search Stories series, called “The Discovery”. Check it out after the break. Read More
“The Hunger Games” Viral Knows Who You Are August 29, 2011August 30, 2011Maybe Lionsgate didn’t give it some thought at first, but when we wrote an article about a possible viral site for The Hunger Games, the studio called to inform us that they weren’t marketing such a site nor were they affiliated with it. Naturally we edited it to inform you… Read More
2012: Viral Commercial Brings Mainstream Attention August 26, 2009September 9, 2009I was watching Ghost Hunters when an commercial for TheIHC.com came up. I was quite surprised, to say the least. It’s very well done, the only thing I have against it is the fact they flash Colombia and the “FILM NOT YET RATED” logos, but it’s only for a few… Read More
Basically, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I hope they payed more attention to the film than they did the viral. Most marketing folk still haven’t grasped that viral doesn’t work like the advertising they do on a regular basis. A phrase like “lowest common denominator” was probably used during its development. Attempts at viral marketing must be cool, first and foremost and cool second and talk about the product a distant third – maybe. Nobody passes along a commercial because of how informative.The killing blow was having the director talk about the behind the scenes then end by saying “if you’re looking for the hidden code, its 1234”. ARG elements should be embedded of the storyline, otherwise its just a branded game. It’s breaking the fourth wall. And not in a good way