AOL, Chrysler Launch Rogue Mobile Phone Promo

America Online, Chrysler Corporation and Rogue Pictures have teamed up for a mobile promotion called “IM in the Hunt.” The effort is aimed at driving moviegoers to see the thriller “Cry Wolf,” a movie about a series of campus murders being foretold by a mysterious AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) user.

The sponsors are driving participants to the promotion by prompting moviegoers to register for the game at the end of trailers for the film at 2,000 theaters nationwide. Participants will receive trivia questions via AIM on their cell phones. Players who answer the questions can instantly win prizes from AOL, such as free ring-tones and games.

“A lot of the game is focused on what’s truth and what’s lies,” said AOL spokeswoman Krista Thomas.

Players are invited to answer questions such as whether or not Halloween began as a Chinese holiday (false). Finalists in the contest will be given the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt in Los Angeles with cast members from the film. One grand prizewinner will win a Chrysler Crossfire.

Jeff Wadlow, co-writer and director of “Cry Wolf” was the winner of the 2002 Extreme Filmmaking Competition sponsored by Chrysler. Wadlow was awarded $1 million to produce “Cry Wolf,” which will be distributed by Universal’s Focus Features and will begin appearing in theaters in September.

AOL’s Thomas declined to share numbers with ClickZ, but said there are currently 10 million people using AIM on their cell phones who altogether send an average of 30 million messages per day. The majority of these people are in the film’s target demographic, which ranges from older teenagers to 25-year-olds.

Thomas added that AOL will consider the promotion a success if it drives awareness of the film and of using AIM on mobile phones.

“We’ve already seen a lot of viral buzz out there on the Web,” she said.