Yes, Bike Hero Was Viral Marketing

Did you detect that stench of viral marketing wafting from that “Bike Hero” YouTube clip? Your nose doesn’t lie; the clip purported to be made by “madflux” and the “Brierwood Vandals” is really the work of production team Droga 5, MTV Multiplayer reports. Activision’s chief creative officer Brad Jakeman tells MTV that one of the clip’s more impressive technical feats — the flashing LEDs on the handlebars — was born from “some filmic magic.”

If you’re feeling hornswaggled by the CGI-laden marketing attempt, Jakeman says you shouldn’t — this was all according to plan. “It’s not meant to be deceptive. It’s meant to be fun,” he said, claiming that Activision was hoping you’d figure it out all along, that they wanted to “engage” you and get the “conversation” going. If it moved a couple more copies of Guitar Hero World Tour, it’s a win-win.

Activision Coughs Up Real Story Behind Amazing ‘Bike Hero’ Clip [MTV Multiplayer]