Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is to celebrate the DVD release of Resident Evil: Extinction on 18th February by allowing user-generated zombies to roam homepage takeovers ads on select target sites in an innovative online campaign.
Inspired by the popular horror franchise’s video-game roots, the promotion will pitch internet users against one another as they battle to survive an online zombie cull, with hopes to win a 40” Sony Bravia TV, PlayStation 3 and copy of the film on Blu-ray if their character is the last one standing.
Entrants should visit a special Resident Evil: Extinction microsite (www.residentevilextinctiondvd.co.uk) where they will be invited to create their own zombie avatar, which they can personalise by uploading a photo and ‘zombifying’ it.
On creation, the zombies are placed in an infected pen on the microsite where users can strengthen their characters by feeding and exercising them. There is a countdown clock to 9am on 18th February, at which time all zombies will be released into the homepage takeover ads across various targeted websites. Users will be notified by email as to what site their zombie is on, and within that site their zombie can roam from one advertising format to another.
Throughout the day, Alice, the lead character in Resident Evil: Extinction, will kill off zombie avatars at random. However, those who have strengthened their character will have a greater chance of survival.
Email updates will be sent out to all contestants throughout the day, letting users know the current location of Alice. If they are killed off, they will also be notified by email. The progress of the zombie avatars will also be published on the microsite, with the eventual winner crowned at the end of the day.
