There’s no doubt that fans are excited for Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and everything we’ve seen from the demo and previews have added to the hype. But not all publicity is created equal, and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth has had one of the most wide-ranging ad campaigns in recent memory.
Some brand collaborations make sense when you’re marketing a new game, and none of us would be surprised to see Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth merch popping up in stores as we head towards release day. Yet the marketing team behind letting us know we’re about to return to the world of Final Fantasy VII has made this their year of yes, with plenty of unexpected collaborations as part of the hype train. I’ve made it my duty to watch this wide-ranging and occasionally bizarre ad campaign, and now I’m bringing you the most unexpected of them all.
Related: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Editions: Should You Get Deluxe, Collector’s, or Standard?
Red Bull Gives Sephiroth Wings
Red Bull Gaming posted a short video in the iconic Red Bull ad style, featuring Cloud and Sephiroth in battle. Naturally, Cloud gains the upper hand by drinking a Red Bull, as we all know folks in the Final Fantasy universe tend to do.
Honestly, if you wanted our attention, you got it with this unexpected pairing that just kind of makes sense. People have missed the “Red Bull gives you wings” tagline and Sephiroth has wings (well, wing). When it fits, it fits.
Insomnia Cookies Already Knows We’ve Planned an All-Nighter for the FFVII Release
Maybe it’s just because I had a love affair with Insomnia Cookies in my early 20s, but this is the collab that lives rent-free in my head. Cookie company Insomnia Cookies, best known for offering late-night cookie deliveries near college campuses, now has limited-edition collectible Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth boxes.
Customers can order a box of cookies and receive a box with characters from the game plastered on it. There’s even a special Cloud ‘Lil Dipper which is just my favorite phrase of 2024 so far. Of course, I have questions about the true collectibility of boxes that will arrive full of fresh baked cookies and their grease. But since Insomnia Cookie doesn’t deliver to me, that’s for other fans to figure out.
The Final Fantasy VII Cast Learns to Seize the Awkward
I’m all for encouraging folks to be more open in talking about mental health, but I have to admit I didn’t expect to see an ad combining the Seize the Awkward campaign with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. And yet, this PSA campaign featuring clips from the game does in fact exist.
It’s an unexpected pairing, for sure, but it makes a lot of sense when you think of everything those characters go through.
That Time FFVII Took Credit for A Comet
Yes, this one was a joke, but also, yes, it’s a weird one. @LittleARcanine_, part of the Square Enix team, sent out this tweet suggesting that the marketing team came up with this comet as part of promotion for FInal Fantasy VII: Rebirth.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t have “take credit for a comet” on my list of ways I expected anyone to promote a new video game.
Game Better with Butterfinger
Alas, this sweepstakes has already ended, so you can’t enter it anymore, but at this point, Butterfinger collabs with Final Fantasy are a bit of a tradition. Previous games in the Final Fantasy franchise have also teamed up with the “Game Better with Butterfinger” campaign to promote combining candy with gaming. It sounds like a good idea, until you get melty chocolate all over your PS5 controller.
This campaign featured a “Butterfinger Ultimate Gaming Bundle” which included some FFVII: Rebirth merch, a copy of the game, and of course, Butterfinger branded gaming gear. I’m just trying to picture Cloud taking a break for a Butterfinger, and it’s bringing me joy.
