Hitman maker launches ‘Kill this ad’ video campaign

Agent 47 sure gets around.

The main character of Hitman, the assassination game for the PC and consoles that debuts today, appears in a new ad campaign today that the creators hope will go viral. Dubbed “Kill this ad,” it’s is a clever way to publicize this release from developer IO Interactive and publisher Square Enix in the $99.3 billion gaming industry. Square Enix partnered with creative agency Omelet to create the marketing campaign.

The ad features a corrupt rich guy — the usual target for assassination in Hitman games — who goes by the name Wolfshark. The video ad starts playing, and you see various scenes with Wolfshark in it. The phrase “Kill this ad” appears on the right hand side.

Depending on when you click on the ad, you’ll see Agent 47 appear in a still photo scene with Wolfshark assassinated in a gruesome way. So each time you view the ad, you’ll see a different death scene. It’s macabre, but so very Hitman.