The Complete Apple Mission Impossible Co-Promotion - 1996

While there have been lots of articles about Apple’s 1996 Co-Promotion with Mission Impossible, none have collected all of the elements in one space - until now…

The TV Ad - Apple utilized its already allocated multi-million dollar Advertising Budget to run an ad featuring its inclusion in Mission Impossible. It was created from imagery, music, sounds, and special effects, that included shots of Apple’s PowerBook, all footage created by Brian De Palma. Because it utilzed existing footage, it cost less than 1/3 to produce the spot compared to conventional Apple TV ads.

The Print Ad Campaign - Using an already allocated Print Ad budget of one million dollars, Apple used imagery from the film to create the Ad - which featured the likeness of Tom Cruise for the first time in any type of co-promotion. Apple even got permission from Cruise/Wagner to use an image that was not even given to Paramount. (at no cost) Paramount did use that image later with the Video release.

The Web Adventure - Apple created a six-episode “Virtual” Mission Impossible on the Internet that received over 1,000,000 hits per day, and had over 150,000 registered agents playing the game. Tom Cruise personally requested that his image was used in the game as he thought it was so cool!

In-Theater Promotions - Apple supplied Apple/Mission Impossible custom T-Shirts for theater employees, and other promotional materials to dress theater lobbies, Theaters used these in competition to be the best Apple/MI display in order to win the latest Apple PowerBook.

In-Store Promotions - Similar to the In-Theater Promotion, Apple Dealers used our materials to make the best displays in a competition to win the latest Apple PoswerBook. Apple also promo-ed it’s it “Internet Connection Kit” which resulted in a 65% increase in sales of that application.

Premiere Presence and Webcast - Apple had a strong presence at the premeir, including multiple stations for attendess to play “The Web Adventure”. Additionally, it had a station that created “MI-Force Badges” with attendees photos on them - which was wildly popular. And, using its own technology, Apple executed the first ever live webcast of a Hollywood Premier.

Apple/Mission Impossible Branded Merchandise - Apple developed some very cool co-branded merchandise that was used for promotional giveaways, as well as being sold at the Apple Store, and on the Apple Website.

The Complete Mission Impossible Promo - This promotion was Worldwide. So, Apple made a Video that described all aspects of the promotion - as described above.