Los Angeles startup agency Battery — comprised of industry vets from agencies such as Dare, Deutsch and TBWA/Chiat/Day — created a 60-second broadcast spot for the release of NetherRealm Studios’ Mortal Kombat X, which comes out April 14th.
The spot pays homage to the long-running franchise’s marketing history. It opens in an office building, where a man walks over to a coworker and whispers the word “fight.” Soon word of a fight is spreading throughout the whole city, with people screaming “Fight!” while running down the street. A large circle forms around the fight, as game footage is interspersed with footage of the crowd. The spot ends with someone getting a text informing them of another fight, as the entire crowd disperses in anticipation, followed by the text “Who’s Next?” It strikes a nice balance between appealing to the franchise’s past glory (although a straight “Moooootraaaal Kombaaaat” would have been nice, too) and showing the game’s new capabilities, while also finding a middle ground between a live action and gameplay trailer (leaning towards the former, but including elements of both). The broadcast spot debuted March 28th during March Madness coverage and will continue to air nationally, and in some international markets, leading up to the game’s release.
Credits:
Agency: Battery
Chief Creative Officer: Philip Khosid