What better way to get people to notice you than by offering them the chance to be stalked by a virtual hitman?
This was the concept behind the transmedia campaign from digital ad agency Loud&Clear for the release of the movie Kill Me Three Times, an R-rated movie following hitman Charlie Wolfe (played by Simon Pegg) who finds himself in the throes of murder, blackmail and revenge.
The campaign sends participants on a three-day virtual journey where they are tracked down by Charlie Wolfe, culminating in the final scene of the campaign leading into the first scene of the movie.
Only people who have both a Facebook and Twitter account will be able to participate however. Instagram doesn’t work with the campaign. The campaign will see a range of communications sent to users through email, Facebook, Twitter, SMSs and phone calls.
Joel Beath, head of content at Loud&Clear, told B&T they really wanted to get in people’s faces with this campaign.
“We want to make it as pervasive as possible,” he said. “We wanted to give the audience a feeling of what it would be like to be tracked down by a hitman as well.”
The campaign will no doubt be disturbing, just check out the first scene here. (Although be warned, it’s a bit intense).
It’s a graphic movie though so the campaign had to reflect that, explained Beath. However, users are able to opt out if they want.
“We went with the option of giving people the opportunity to opt out if they wanted to, as well as making sure people knew it was a joke and a campaign,” he said.
“While we want a sense of realism to come across, we don’t want it to be so real people are like ‘what the hell is this?’”
Releasing this campaign was nerve-wracking, admitted Beath, but then again you’re always nervous before every campaign, he added.
“It’s a ground-breaking campaign. It’s not something you see traditionally done with movies at all. Screen Australia showed a lot of faith in backing us with it.”
The film has just been released in the US so the campaign is only in America at the moment.
The number of people signed up so far is in the 1000s, which Beath is happy with, and he hopes to eventually make it to 10,000 users with the Aussie and UK release in due course.
Check out the experience here.
