Question of the Day, September 28, 2010

[The Escapist Staff]

Question of the Day, September 28, 2010



This week, First-Person Marketer author JP Sherman takes a look at controversy marketing [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/first-personmarketer/8152-First-Person-Marketer-Controversy-Marketing]. From Duke Nukem Forever's controversial swag labeled "steroids," to Dante's Inferno's campaign which encouraged convention-goers to commit "acts of lust" with booth babes, videogame marketing can run the gamut from laughable to atrocious. What do you think of controversial marketing campaigns? What are the best (or worst) campaigns you can recall?

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[Daemascus]

Its annoying as hell. Especially when its really not a big deal.

 

[tjs09]

Hey, anybody remember when Acclaim tried to put a billboard over a guy's gravestone? Oh, Acclaim...

 

[thenumberthirteen]

generally all's fair in love and war, but stunts like holding up a diner at gunpoint to promote Splinter Cell is just stupid. I never found out how that was supposed to work.

 

[Kollega]

And where is "stirring up controversy just so your game sells better is not a gentlemanly thing to do" option?

/sigh

I used to have faith in humanity.

I agree, those were the days.

 

[Jared]

Publicity sometimes goes a little too far in terms of trying to advertise a gamne...like the stunt in New Zealand for Splinter Cell, but, most of the time it just helps to sell the game...like the MAss Effect controversy

 

[Ubervelt]

I think now days we will see more stupid stunts being pulled as people struggle to find original ways of advertising a game. It's clear they are trying to look in a different direction, the problem is the monkey behind the desk who decides what ultimately happens.

I honestly pay no mind to the silly stunts people try to pull as it comes across as them trying to hard because they can't get attention the old fashioned way. SUBTLY.

 

[Marter]

Doesn't really matter to me. They get to drum up publicity for their game, and I say let them.

Besides, if the game ends up tanking, a lot of people will be mad at them.

 

[Jaebird]

To rely on controversy (unintentional or otherwise) is a sign that the publisher's marketing department has no faith in the product they're selling.

Then again, if the developers would focus on making a product that works, and avoid "making the greatest game, evar," then there wouldn't be such a problem. But, what do I know? I'm just the consumer who speaks with his wallet. And I may as well ask for world peace while I'm at it.

 

[Jesus Phish]

Publicity sometimes goes a little too far in terms of trying to advertise a gamne...like the stunt in New Zealand for Splinter Cell, but, most of the time it just helps to sell the game...like the MAss Effect controversy

Theres a big difference between those two.

In the case of Splinter Cell, they did that. In the case of Mass Effect, it was Fox news trying to spin another "games are bad" story. Bioware didnt advertise sexual content as a selling point to its game.

A bit of controversy is always going to be used by all marketing people in every industry. United Colour of Beniton (that clothes shop) used to run ad campaigns on bill boards which featured the bloody, bullet torn uniform of a dead solider. It had nothing to do with the company or their products, but it got their name out there.

Controversy in advertising isnt going anywhere as there's no single better means to get the public talking about your product/company than by pissing someone off.

 

[Super Toast]

Hey, anybody remember when Acclaim tried to put a billboard over a guy's gravestone? Oh, Acclaim...

As well as that time Ubisoft decided to pull a marketing stunt involving a mad gunman attacking a bar. Who the fuck thought those were good ideas?

 

[Riddle78]

When will the haters learn that it's a game? A fictional world esigned to create a fictional atmosphere for which the user is to immerse themselves in. If the marketing accurately portrays the game,then there's nothing wrong.

 

[DSK-]

Acts of lust with boothbabes? I never heard of that one...

Er anywho...the one that comes to mind most is Sony's ritual with pig or goat's blood. I think that was in bad taste.

 

[DTWolfwood]

all publicity is good publicity. Personally i never buy into it. a game needs to stand on its own merits and nothing else. I could careless if some1 has got their panties in a bunch about it. Also its a good laugh when done wrong, i.e. Dante's Inferno XD

 

[Azuaron]

Sure, lots of marketing is just plain cringe worthy. That being said, I often appreciate some of the better ones.

For instance, marketing for The Last Exorcism (not a videogame, I know) went on Chat Roulette with videos of hot women acting like they were going to flash the other chatter, then suddenly turn demonic. Then they took the reactions of the other people and used it as advertising. And hilarity was had by all.

 

[icyneesan]

Doesn't bother me, but if I was really trying to push a game I might use more 'liberal' marketing campaigns to get the game noticed by people.

 

[procyonlotor]

Tasteless and expectational. Exactly the kind of thing marketing is about.

 

[Andantil]

Controversy is the result of people with too many morals trying to make other, less fettered, people conform to their morality.
People need to lose some morals.

[X]Who cares.