Story
Rejected pitch: 'skateboarding isn't even popular', then Activision called
In 1997 Tony and a coder pitched a skateboarding game to Nintendo and other publishers and got no takers. One executive asked why a skate game would be popular when skateboarding wasn't. When the coder quit, he said Tony's name was now 'planted' in gaming. About a year later Activision called saying it had heard Tony was working on a game.
“I feel like your name is now planted in the video game world as someone who would like to work on a game or do a game. And, and if someone does one, they'll probably call you. And I was like, sure. And about a year later, I got a call from Activision and they said, we heard you're working on a game. And I was like, I'm not, but I want to.”
Steal thisPitch your ambition widely even when the meetings go nowhere, because it plants your name for when the opportunity shows up later.
Tactic
Demand final approval: Tony Hawk's rule after cheesy brand campaigns
After doing paid campaigns where Madison Avenue brands showed skateboarding in a cheesy, inauthentic way, Tony decided every future big deal would give him final approval over what went out. Activision was the first contract with that clause, and it let him keep the game authentic to skaters.
“And so I told myself, if I get any more big deals from big companies, I'm going to, I'm going to demand that I have final approval over what goes out. That was a daring move at that time because skateboarding was still, you know, it was X Games, but everyone else knew better of how to do commercials and campaigns and stuff. And so the very first contract I signed with that approval demand was Activision.”
Steal thisWhen you license your name or brand, write final creative approval into the contract.
Tactic
Demand final approval: Tony Hawk's rule after cheesy brand campaigns
After doing paid campaigns where Madison Avenue brands showed skateboarding in a cheesy, inauthentic way, Tony decided every future big deal would give him final approval over what went out. Activision was the first contract with that clause, and it let him keep the game authentic to skaters.
“And so I told myself, if I get any more big deals from big companies, I'm going to, I'm going to demand that I have final approval over what goes out. That was a daring move at that time because skateboarding was still, you know, it was X Games, but everyone else knew better of how to do commercials and campaigns and stuff. And so the very first contract I signed with that approval demand was Activision.”
Steal thisWhen you license your name or brand, write final creative approval into the contract.
Number
A $4.5M royalty check when 4 of the top 10 games were THPS
When the fourth Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game launched, it went straight into the top 10, and the first three were still there. Over lunch, his Activision contact explained what that meant by sliding a $4.5 million royalty check across the table.
$4.5M
Single royalty check from Activision after THPS4 launch · USD
“And 4th game just got released. It got to be in the top 10 of sales right away. And he said, the first 3 are still in the top 10. So at that time, 4 out of the top 10 games were THPS. And I said, I don't, what does that even mean? And he is like, this is what it means. And he slid a check across the table for $4.5 million.”
Tactic
Birdhouse gave its boards to THPS for free, then sales went ballistic
Birdhouse struggled for years and only turned profitable around 1997–98. When the game came out, Tony's partner Per Welander wanted Activision to pay for including Birdhouse boards. Tony argued for free placement as the 'ultimate marketing tool.' Sales exploded, and roughly 1999–2005 was Birdhouse's peak.
“I said, you know, we got to include our skateboards in the game as options. And he said, well, they should be paying us. And I was like, they don't have any money. You know, they weren't throwing money around at the time. And also, I disagree because I feel like this could be the ultimate marketing tool. Once this gets out there, people will know what Birdhouse is. And a lot of, you know, some of the skaters in the game were Birdhouse riders. Of course, but also because I believe they were some of the best at the time. And that is what happened. When that game got released, our sales went ballistic.”
Steal thisGive your product away for placement inside a partner's breakout product. The distribution is worth more than a licensing fee.