The wave of comic book movies continues with the release of X-Men: Apocalypse this weekend. In the superhero-themed movie, where a team of mutants gifted with powerful abilities takes on the most powerful being in history, hits theaters on May 27. Continuing from the tremendous success of X-Men: Days of Future Past, and featuring an all-star cast that includes James McAvoy (X-Men movies; Wanted), Michael Fassbender (Prometheus; Inglorious Bastards), Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games; Joy) Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina; Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), the movie is almost sure to be a huge hit.
The size and scope of the movie are matched only by the promotional campaigns and partnerships that came from it. Here are the top promotions that helped bring forth the Apocalypse.
X-Men: Apocalypse Takes Over Snapchat
Today, 20th Century Fox purchased an entire takeover of Snapchat Lenses—photos and videos that users can apply to their snaps. There are nine Lenses in total, and each is based on a different character from the movie, including Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Beast, Apocalypse, Quicksilver, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops. This represents the first time a movie has purchased all the Lenses for a day, and they’re ready to make you look like you have superpowers of your own.
Although Snapchat ads are proving to be extremely popular, they’re also very expensive, with prices ranging from about $350,000 to $750,000 (depending on the day) for a single sponsored Lens, which lasts for 24 hours.
Furthermore, fans can purchase tickets using the Snapchat app. Although it doesn’t sell tickets directly, users can access the Fandango or Movietickets.com mobile websites from within the app, then instantly get back to snapping.
Enroll In A Super Education
Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, the home base of the X-Men, is both a refuge and training ground for mutants to learn control over their powers. Students also happen to put those skills to work saving the world, but you wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell from the school’s commercial, which features the fictional character Jubilee, and is supposedly from 1983. If you have a mutant child, then there’s no better education that at Xavier’s.
Find The Ideal Home With Coldwell Banker
Coldwell Banker might be one of the more unlikely X-Men: Apocalypse promotional partnerships, but the team put together a series of ads that emphasize the theme of coming home after a stressful day at work. Of course, “work” meaning a day of combating god-like super-beings in an effort to save the world, and “home” being a luxurious mansion that doubles as a boarding school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrgbD0XMxDM
However, instead of overlooking the fact that the X-Men team lives in a giant mansion, Coldwell Banker decided to embrace it in a faux “Home of the Week” series, where a Coldwell real estate agent highlight’s the Xavier’s mansion’s greatest features.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV6Kh6MXtS4
Crunch Gym Challenges You To Strengthen Up
The X-Men train to master their mutant superpowers in a place called The Danger Room, but regular humans don’t have to such an ominous sounding place for a workout. Instead, they can simply head over a Crunch fitness center for a superpowered exercise program. Crunch is currently offering an interval based class inspired by X-Men: Apocalypse. Members are challenged to channel strengths from their favorite characters, all the while building up their power and stamina to take on the world.
As an added bonus, Crunch is also hosting a sweepstakes, where a winner will be able to visit the sacred pyramids of Chichen Itza in Mexico for the ultimate mutant-powered vacation. After visiting the pyramids, and learning how its inhabitants predicted the apocalypse, winners will “defy gravity” and hover over the ocean in a jet packing experience. Next is learning flight in a zipline experience, followed by an Earth-themed adventure where they get to drive amphibious vehicles on an underground tour.
Power-Up With Candy
The movie’s partnership with M&M’s candies works perfectly with the gym membership, but the famous chocolate in a hard candy shell has also been a longtime favorite among movie-goers. To celebrate the launch of the movie, Mars Chocolate introduced four movie-themed bottles, featuring the animated M&Ms dressed up as characters from the movie.
The candy jars were also accompanied by a special commercial, featuring the characters Nightcrawler and Storm, who both happen to share a weakness for milk chocolate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J64QS4tE6ic
A Beast Of A Burger
If you want to take your X-themed meal to the max, then Red Robin has you covered. The gourmet burger restaurant is currently serving The Berserker X Burger in celebration of the release of X-Men: Apocalypse. This mega burger “comes loaded with Sriracha onion straws, spicy pickles, zesty aioli, a fire-grilled, all-natural beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes and melted cheddar on a special “X” edition brioche bun.” It’s special power is obviously the ability to defeat hunger.
Additionally, purchasing a $25 X-Men Apocalypse-themed limited edition gift card will get you a free ticket to see the movie when it hits theaters on May 27.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ojh8-DOT3Y
Mutant Emoji
The movie also released a set of X-Men: Apocalypse-themed emoji to collect and share on social media!
