Splinter Cell Stunt Goes Stupidly Wrong

[Sixties Spidey]

OH MAI GODS VIDEO GAMES DID IT LETS SUE UBISOFT!!1!1!

In all seriousness, that guy is a fucking idiot.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

You know....it may have helped to have TOLD the police force that you were doing this before hand. And I don't know about everyone else, but I think a faux hold up wouldn't be the kind of publicity that they would want for the game.

 

[GonzoGamer]

But I don't get what the plan was.
I'm sure they didn't intend to scare a bunch of people into playing Splinter Cell so how was the stunt supposed to go:
best case scenario.

 

[rosac]

I can just imagine someone in an office dreaming this up, and imagining the glorious, sales boosting finale to this stunt.

And then they did utter the words : "I see no other possible outcome."

 

[ElephantGuts]

I...I really am speechless. What exactly were these advertisers hoping to get out of it? Did they think when the person barged into the bar holding a gun everyone inside would start laughing and yelling "Hey, Splinter Cell: Conviction! Awesome!"

I honestly don't understand.

 

[littlewisp]

Well they certainly got publicity out of this mess. 0o Why a bar of all places?

 

[Denamic]

Still, all PR is good PR.

 

[dehawaiiansupaman]

Yeah who ever thought up this idea must really not want a job. They'll be lucky to be employed at any marketing firm after this mess. Seriously who thinks walking into a bar with a fake gun is a good way to promote a game?

 

[Danpascooch]

Where they fucking high or something?

Jesus, a 7 year old kid could tell you that is the worst idea ever for a publicity stunt.

 

[Danpascooch]

Yeah who ever thought up this idea must really not want a job. They'll be lucky to be employed at any marketing firm after this mess. Seriously who thinks walking into a bar with a fake gun is a good way to promote a game?

They'll be lucky to be employed ANYWHERE if the employer hears about this.

 

[Danpascooch]

Still, all PR is good PR.

Not really

 

[Denamic]

Still, all PR is good PR.

Not really

Same as with RapeLay.
Barely anyone knew it even existed.
Then a media outrage about the game occurred.
And the game's sales sky-rocketed for a time.

Exposure = good.
Even if said exposure is negative.

 

[CoverYourHead]

I think UbiSoft is trying to kill their own company. I really do. I cannot, for the life of me, think of a way this would've turned out well. Really. What the hell?

 

[Kwaren]

My state is an open carry state and many people (including myself) regularly carry pistols in open view. That guy would have been killed if he tried it here.

 

[JWAN]

too bad they didn't shoot his dumbass.

 

[JWAN]

Yeah who ever thought up this idea must really not want a job. They'll be lucky to be employed at any marketing firm after this mess. Seriously who thinks walking into a bar with a fake gun is a good way to promote a game?

The guy with the bandaged hands holding a gun in a bar.

 

[JWAN]

Dude was lucky it was in a country where there are tight gun control laws and not some where like... oh Texas where he'd of got his balls shot off by everyone person in the bar.

ah yes, the country of Texas
(I had to)
----
Naw I get what your saying only I think its UNFORTUNATE he wasn't in Texas.

 

[Sir Kemper]

I fail to see how this is bad marketing.

Since that stunt around 100 more people know about Splinter Cell.

Yeah, the game that made them fear for their lives and think they might never see their loved ones again. I somehow doubt they'll be lining up to get one. And the only publicity this'll be earning the game is as "the game with the retarded publicity stunt", which won't make it past the gaming press.

So, IMHO it failed at both making a good impression and making a large impression. Without either one it's a complete failure.

Way to completely misread my post.

Okay, let me put it this way:

Untill this story where you even thinking of splinter cell? No, probably not, however, thanks to this little publicity stunt people are going to notice the game, specifically gamer's, and people who think "Golly, that game got alot of attention becuase of that dumbass publicity stunt, mayby i should check it out."

Think of something like the Hot Coffee fiasco, but on a much, much smaller scale.

 

[Ithera]

Guns and public settings do not match, what were they thinking? The people at their marketing department need to revise their way of thinking.

 

[Formica Archonis]

Okay, let me put it this way:

Untill this story where you even thinking of splinter cell? No, probably not,

I don't think about what I don't like, so no. The only boost they got this time is making me actually read past the headline.

however, thanks to this little publicity stunt people are going to notice the game, specifically gamer's, and people who think "Golly, that game got alot of attention becuase of that dumbass publicity stunt, mayby i should check it out."

There are a lot of morons out there, no argument there. But most gamers at this point I imagine are either committed to Splinter Cell or indifferent about it. This sort of garbage only works if the target audience has never heard of the game. Most gamers have seen or heard of the previous Splinter Cells and decided one way or the other. It doesn't really increase mindshare, since the people who hear of it have not only already heard of it, they've already passed judgement. Honestly, that's why I didn't think of you as meaning gamers when you said "100 people". People who read the Escapist et al. likely know what Splinter Cell is even if they never played it.

Okay, if there was mass outrage it'd pick up some people who don't read the gaming press. But screwed-up publicity stunts are a dime a dozen. To get some real mass outrage going you have to invoke the demons of the day and make a lasting impression that you can't or won't back away from. If Ubisoft repeats this stunt again and comes out saying they support terrorizing the populace, THEN you'll see mass outrage. Are Satanic cults or rainbow parties back in vogue? Maybe something involving one of those could work. I don't know, what's the new thing teenagers aren't doing that Oprah says they're doing?

Think of something like the Hot Coffee fiasco, but on a much, much smaller scale.

Yeah, but Hot Coffee was about sex in the game. The outrage was a big neon sign to teenagers: "HEY! BUY THIS GAME GET SEX!" Loon with a fake gun doesn't provide the value-add Hot Coffee did.