Will ‘Armageddon’ Tie-In Be Ticket to Success?

Advertiser: McDonald’s

Agency: DDB Needham, Chicago

Challenge: Hype McDonald’s tie-in with “Armageddon,” the Walt Disney Co. film about an asteroid headed toward Earth.

The Ads: The ads, shot on the set of the movie, promote a McDonald’s contest in which participants can win free tickets to the movie. The ad shows three teens standing on the surface of a speeding asteroid who’ve won “front row tickets to the end of the world.”

Comment: In the ad, McDonald’s asks, “Who treats you to summer’s hottest ticket?” Clearly, McDonald’s is betting that “Armageddon” will be just that. But the success of the promotion depends on whether the movie, which opened Wednesday, lives up to the hype. $$+