Battlefield 4 Teams With Axe For Embarrassing Cross-Promotion

[Andy Chalk]

Battlefield 4 Teams With Axe For Embarrassing Cross-Promotion

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This ad for the promotional partnership between Battlefield 4 and Axe is so bad it makes me want to punch a dog.

I've never played Battlefield, and I've never worn Axe. There's no connection between the two, it's entirely coincidental, but this cross-branding advertisement has me feeling pretty good about the choices I've made regarding these particular products.

The promo [https://www.axebattlefield4sweeps.com/] itself is fairly straightforward: Buy Battlefield-labeled Axe products at Walmart and get "exclusive" in-game content for Battlefield 4. There are also randomly drawn prizes including copies of the game, licensed merchandise, tablets and a trip to Germany to check out Gamescom. And all you have to do is buy some Axe.

To be completely fair, I don't have anything against people who wear Axe, at least not specifically for their choice to wear Axe, but I do find this promotion, and the ad for it, a little off. Well, really off, I suppose. Wildly so. Like, when Napoleon invaded Russia and told Josephine, "Look, don't sweat it, I'll be home by next Tuesday?" That kind of off.

Is anyone surprised that this comes from EA? I suppose we should be happy that at least Axe is less likely to kill people than, say, a Magpul assault rifle - remember that schmozzle [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123850-EA-Halts-Gun-Brand-Licensing]? - but it's still disappointing to realize that this is the kind of thing EA thinks will appeal to a broad swath of mainstream gamers.

Somebody bring me a dog.


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[sir neillios]

Ahhhh, fetch the brain bleach! That did not work in the slightest! But I did chuckle at the farting into the microphone playing at the end.

 

[Story]

That was...really, really odd.
I kinda get where they are going for, but those models they stand very firm in the uncanny valley territory it's kinda creepy.

 

[rasputin0009]

They do share some of the same demographic. Young males who have the misconception that chemical spray will get them laid and young males that play online shooters are one and the same, right? I guess I'm one of those young males, but I already have an allegiance to Old Spice (since it was on sale that last time I bought smelly sticks, I bought like 20 of them).

 

[mechalynx]

Welp, I made it as far as the chick taking her helmet off, which is farther than anything EA has gotten me in the past 12 months.

I tend to like Axe commercials, especially the one with ben Affleck. I wonder what the trailer would look like if EA teamed up with Coke Zero? 'cause them Zero commercials were an atrocity.

 

[Alfador_VII]

So are EA now confirming that BF4 will have female soldiers, as well as CoD?

Also that Axe Grenades will incapacitate them?

 

[jFr[e]ak93]

That was awesomely weird. I get what they are going for, but I don't think they totally pulled it off.

Can we use Axe in game now?

 

[Andy Shandy]

Good job making them strong female characters, DICE/EA. This doesn't make the inclusion of female soldiers look like a "Just throw it in to please the womenfolk" sort of move at all.

Ah, it's good to laugh.

 

[Novaova]

If I suspected someone outside on the battlefield was wearing Axe, I'd stay inside my tank where the positive pressure system would keep that smell away from me.

 

[vansau]

First they shut down Command & Conquer, now this.

Banner week you're having, EA. Banner week.

 

[Colt47]

I didn't even get the Axe reference from the commercial. All I saw was two characters come out of their respective tanks, remove their helmets, and stare at each other... probably moments before getting their heads shot off by some sniper.

 

[Renegade-pizza]

but it's still disappointing to realize that this is the kind of thing EA thinks will appeal to a broad swath of mainstream gamers.

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Got you to get us to watch it, didn't they. So, is that what female soldiers could look like? Good, their long,wispy, flowing golden hair will make for easy knife kills.

 

[Kargathia]

Welp, I mage it as far as the chick taking her helmet off, which is father than anything EA has gotten me in the past 12 months.

I tend to like AXE commercials, especially the one with ben Affkeck. I wonder what the trailer would look like if EA teamed up with Coke Zero? 'cause them Zero commercials were an atrocity.

Yea, that marks you as having made it infinitely further than I did, as I didn't even want to click play.

Axe commercials already are in their own plane of cliche'd awful, while EA's marketing department still thinks flinging poo at you is hilarious.
The combination really can't be anything but disastrous.

EDIT: Ok. I went ahead and watched it. Dear god, it's like the offspring of a cliche having sex with an advertiser's image of douche culture, right in the middle of the uncanny valley.

Bonus points for the l'oreal-worthy ridiculousness that was her hair.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Needs moar blue filter.

Axe and Battlefield present The Uncanny Valley: Shockingly plastic low res facial models and embarrassing animations from the game that prides itself in graphics whoring!

It looks like it's been rendered with the in game engine, which is baffling since it's a bloody animated segment.

So are EA now confirming that BF4 will have female soldiers, as well as CoD?

Yeah, knowing that this has been a recent discussion point and DICE's response was basically "We couldn't be arsed" that kinda gets me annoyed. It's a silly thing, but it just seems a little... inconsiderate? I dunno it's hard to put into words.

 

[AntiChrist]

Good job making them strong female characters, DICE/EA. This doesn't make the inclusion of female soldiers look like a "Just throw it in to please the womenfolk" sort of move at all.

Ah, it's good to laugh.

I don't think the female soldier in the commercial is there to "please the womenfolk". Women in Axe commercials are there to convince male viewers that using Axe is an instant pussy magnet - like in this one. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKLR894oMs]

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

I've never played Battlefield, and I've never worn Axe. There's no connection between the two, it's entirely coincidental

I whole-heartedly disagree. As far as stereotypes go, "Violent-Shooter-Murder-Simulator" games and "Axe-Sex-Douchebags" are cleanly linked by the "Screaming-Preteen-Internet-Rage-Monster."

While Sony and Microsoft's PR has done a great job lately of showing gamers and classy individuals that just happen to enjoy digital entertainment, EA as a publisher has never really tried to break the stereotype of 'terrible people gamers.'

 

[Ace O'Hagen]

So we have the worst product (Axe) of the worst male hygiene product (scented body spray) teaming up with the worst gaming company (EA) to target the worst demographics of gaming (14 year-olds and dudebros). Sounds like a winner!

also, I'm quite sure that Axe bodyspray is considered an illegal chemical agent by one of the Geneva conventions.

 

[-Dragmire-]

Needs moar blue filter.

Axe and Battlefield present The Uncanny Valley: Shockingly plastic low res facial models and embarrassing animations from the game that prides itself in graphics whoring!

It looks like it's been rendered with the in game engine, which is baffling since it's a bloody animated segment.

Part of me kinda hopes it was made that way on purpose because the animators themselves found it distasteful and half assed it.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Cool to hate. So cool to hate.

Literally see nothing wrong with this ad, guess I'm just weird.