Namco Bandai buys jet fighter

Forget TV ads – Namco Bandai Partners has splashed the cash on a MiG-21Bis jet fighter to promote its new Ace Combat game.

The publisher said it spent most of its budget for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon on the aircraft in a bid to win the war on wishy washy marketing”. It spent 285,000 on purchasing and restoring the MiG after picking it up from the Estovakian Air Force.

Apparently the aircraft was delivered to Namco Bandai’s UK office on the back of a ‘really big lorry.’ A modified design was also applied to it based on entries from the Ace Combat Skin Design competition on Facebook.

A statement read: The aircraft will be used for marketing and PR promotions, primarily to deliver preview code to press, take journalists on experiential jet fighter experiences and to scare local publishing rivals, Capcom.”

Marketing director Lee Kirton added: Namco Bandai UK is tired of just normal, boring marketing and standard PR stunts.

So I instructed product manager Lauren Bradley to purchase a MiG-21BIS fighter and to get it branded up for Assault Horizon promotional activity.”

Leading insurance website www.weinsureanything.com also says the aircraft will remain in Namco Bandai’s London HQ car park as it would be impossible to insure for the road”.

Following this superstar purchase, MCV understands the firm also has plans to build its own gym to promote Exerbeat Gym Class Workout on Wii.

Assault Horizon is due for release on Xbox 360 and PS3 later this year.