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My family are only mildly aware of my gaming 'passion'. They know I play games, my dad likes PC games but they haven't really got a clue. If I don't give them specific instructions, they're likely to go and buy me the latest Army Men game for my birthday, rather than something half good. Therefore, when it comes to games I keep to myself, as I know they don't have a clue and don't really want to know.
So when a game advert comes onto the TV, I'm generally enthusiastic about what it shows. I mean, it's great watching Tommy Vercetti running around, Starfox smacking enemies and Wave Racers Wave Racing. But the fact is, I sometimes get embarrased about how poor the adverts are. Often quips are made about particularly poor adverts, and I don't understand why I've never seen a decent videogame advert. Lets think about a few examples...
The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about. What are they on about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second, so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly, did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No. Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the morning could have gotten one. If you ask me, they should have started using adverts for the PlayStation 2 - good adverts - around the time that the average Joe could actually go and buy one.
But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap and playing Fifa, or something. No ducks. An advert which would emphasise fun, post-pub fun. Football is a good point to focus on, and would certainly have sold consoles. But they went for the ducks.
The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was against some religion or something. It's true that they made more of an impact than the PS2, because I remember one of my non-gaming chums coming up to me and mentioning it. However just like the PS2, the adverts had nothing to do with the Xbox, other than the slogan. Life's Short. Play Hard. I think it was.
So what could have made the Xbox sell? I think more focus on it's outstanding specifications, with more quotes from people saying 'the console with the best graphics, and the best games'. So what if it was a Microsoft employee. It would have sold the console. And if only they hadn't slapped the Microsoft logo at the bottom, they could have gotten away with marketing it as the Xbox, not the Microsoft Xbox. Oh well.
The GameCube has arguably had the most normal advertising, although that's not to say they weren't particularly good. The strange rotating Cube could have been done away with, but the gameplay footage is a big plus. Ads for StarFox are still going strong in the same format, but the trouble is people haven't got a clue what it is. I remember listening to a conversation between two people in Game, one woman who thought the add-on screen was required. The plonker.
That's one aspect of the GameCube which needs to be marketed though - the fact that it's a console. People know what the PlayStation is, but few casuals could recognise the Nintendo GameCube as a console in its own right. Again, like with what I think would be a good suggestion for the PS2, an advertisement campaign which focuses on friends, and multiplayer would be very good. And quotes which rank it above the PS2 :).
I think the main problem is that they don't know where to start. They don't know what to advertise, how to do it and not make it look silly. Sony employed some strange blokey who royally cocked things up. Xbox adverts have been mildly good, as I remember seeing the 10/10 Edge score adorning television screens during Halo adverts. However, the obvious thing which really ought to be stressed is the the graphics in the games, and the multiplayer. Those are the system sellers, not stupid slogans. But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised, rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'. Heh heh.
So when a game advert comes onto the TV, I'm generally enthusiastic about what it shows. I mean, it's great watching Tommy Vercetti running around, Starfox smacking enemies and Wave Racers Wave Racing. But the fact is, I sometimes get embarrased about how poor the adverts are. Often quips are made about particularly poor adverts, and I don't understand why I've never seen a decent videogame advert. Lets think about a few examples...
The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about. What are they on about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second, so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly, did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No. Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the morning could have gotten one. If you ask me, they should have started using adverts for the PlayStation 2 - good adverts - around the time that the average Joe could actually go and buy one.
But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap and playing Fifa, or something. No ducks. An advert which would emphasise fun, post-pub fun. Football is a good point to focus on, and would certainly have sold consoles. But they went for the ducks.
The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was against some religion or something. It's true that they made more of an impact than the PS2, because I remember one of my non-gaming chums coming up to me and mentioning it. However just like the PS2, the adverts had nothing to do with the Xbox, other than the slogan. Life's Short. Play Hard. I think it was.
So what could have made the Xbox sell? I think more focus on it's outstanding specifications, with more quotes from people saying 'the console with the best graphics, and the best games'. So what if it was a Microsoft employee. It would have sold the console. And if only they hadn't slapped the Microsoft logo at the bottom, they could have gotten away with marketing it as the Xbox, not the Microsoft Xbox. Oh well.
The GameCube has arguably had the most normal advertising, although that's not to say they weren't particularly good. The strange rotating Cube could have been done away with, but the gameplay footage is a big plus. Ads for StarFox are still going strong in the same format, but the trouble is people haven't got a clue what it is. I remember listening to a conversation between two people in Game, one woman who thought the add-on screen was required. The plonker.
That's one aspect of the GameCube which needs to be marketed though - the fact that it's a console. People know what the PlayStation is, but few casuals could recognise the Nintendo GameCube as a console in its own right. Again, like with what I think would be a good suggestion for the PS2, an advertisement campaign which focuses on friends, and multiplayer would be very good. And quotes which rank it above the PS2 :).
I think the main problem is that they don't know where to start. They don't know what to advertise, how to do it and not make it look silly. Sony employed some strange blokey who royally cocked things up. Xbox adverts have been mildly good, as I remember seeing the 10/10 Edge score adorning television screens during Halo adverts. However, the obvious thing which really ought to be stressed is the the graphics in the games, and the multiplayer. Those are the system sellers, not stupid slogans. But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised, rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'. Heh heh.
Posh KiD wrote:
> I know what you mean. Some game adverts do appear pretty corny but I
> think that the majority of adverts today have been of good quality.
>
> For example, Die Hard Vendetta, 007: NightFire and Splinter Cell. Fair
> enough you do see the odd advert that boasts ratings of the game
> rather than what's actually in the game, but that is how it grabs
> people's attention. Imagine those narrators with the deep voices
> telling you about the multiplaying capabilities in the game, it would
> seem cheesier than ever and no other people apart from gamers would
> think about buying such a game.
The game adverts dont really do much all it is, is to tell you about the game and when its realised only the real die hard fans of the games would buy them exept the odd gamer that wants a new type of game to play. There are only some games that sell without advertising before the release date
> I think that adverts are doing the business justice, apart for the
> Fifa edited clips that are plain evil because their full of deceit.
> But the majority are good. They are just the right length keeping
> viewers wanting more and they show the positive aspects of the game.
> The only bad aspect is when greedy developers that are more interested
> about making money rather than showing the true potential of the game,
> show only small parts of the game that LOOK good.
the devolopers would probably get more money if they boosted the price by about £5 and made it to the full potental that everyone would want for example GTA vice city great game but it showed things that were not in the game in magazines why dont they just make the game great and make another one in a different location and a few suggestions people have made
> On a high note though, I enjoy seeing footage of games with a high
> prospect on the telly. They may exaggerate a little but that's what
> advertising's all about.
yes i enjoy seeing footage too but sometimes they exaggerate it too much and thats when it drops in quallity
> I know what you mean. Some game adverts do appear pretty corny but I
> think that the majority of adverts today have been of good quality.
>
> For example, Die Hard Vendetta, 007: NightFire and Splinter Cell. Fair
> enough you do see the odd advert that boasts ratings of the game
> rather than what's actually in the game, but that is how it grabs
> people's attention. Imagine those narrators with the deep voices
> telling you about the multiplaying capabilities in the game, it would
> seem cheesier than ever and no other people apart from gamers would
> think about buying such a game.
The game adverts dont really do much all it is, is to tell you about the game and when its realised only the real die hard fans of the games would buy them exept the odd gamer that wants a new type of game to play. There are only some games that sell without advertising before the release date
> I think that adverts are doing the business justice, apart for the
> Fifa edited clips that are plain evil because their full of deceit.
> But the majority are good. They are just the right length keeping
> viewers wanting more and they show the positive aspects of the game.
> The only bad aspect is when greedy developers that are more interested
> about making money rather than showing the true potential of the game,
> show only small parts of the game that LOOK good.
the devolopers would probably get more money if they boosted the price by about £5 and made it to the full potental that everyone would want for example GTA vice city great game but it showed things that were not in the game in magazines why dont they just make the game great and make another one in a different location and a few suggestions people have made
> On a high note though, I enjoy seeing footage of games with a high
> prospect on the telly. They may exaggerate a little but that's what
> advertising's all about.
yes i enjoy seeing footage too but sometimes they exaggerate it too much and thats when it drops in quallity
Then there's the bane of game advertisements, the small print:
"NOT ACTUAL GAME FOOTAGE".
Used in Harry Potter 1 & 2, and yes, Metroid Fusion. Plonkers.
"NOT ACTUAL GAME FOOTAGE".
Used in Harry Potter 1 & 2, and yes, Metroid Fusion. Plonkers.
The Playstation ads were interesting and got everyone talking, but notice how the games adverts are now going back to relying on showing the actual games.
The Xbox ads were, again, interesting, but overshadowed by the earlier PS2 ads. It was lucky, then, that Microsoft got told off for their baby to grave ad, it gave them loads of exposure and that never hurts their advertising.
The Gamecube ads are full of energy, and although they aren't as weird as the other two format's ads, they more than make up for that with showcasing the graphics and representation of the fun factor. The GBA adverts are just plain funny and always make me laugh (but then, that could just be me).
The Xbox ads were, again, interesting, but overshadowed by the earlier PS2 ads. It was lucky, then, that Microsoft got told off for their baby to grave ad, it gave them loads of exposure and that never hurts their advertising.
The Gamecube ads are full of energy, and although they aren't as weird as the other two format's ads, they more than make up for that with showcasing the graphics and representation of the fun factor. The GBA adverts are just plain funny and always make me laugh (but then, that could just be me).
The ads, this what I understood them to mean (though I may be wrong)
PS2, Welcome to the third place
I thought this was talking about welcoming you into the third dimension gaming, blah de blah, since 3D graphics weren't really very good before...
of course, thats probably a load of rubbish
Life Is short play more tells all you need to know about the X-boxes advert
And so much action in one smalll cube, yes, thats it....
And this was using logic, not other,..... stuff
PS2, Welcome to the third place
I thought this was talking about welcoming you into the third dimension gaming, blah de blah, since 3D graphics weren't really very good before...
of course, thats probably a load of rubbish
Life Is short play more tells all you need to know about the X-boxes advert
And so much action in one smalll cube, yes, thats it....
And this was using logic, not other,..... stuff
Blank wrote:
> Strange that. I did think twice about them. The ads made me think
> about waht the hell was going on, and as you only saw each bit for a
> short amount of time it made you want to see it again.
You could put it that way, but the fact is, would a grandma, or a mother, or a casual gamer know what the hell the ads are on about? Even with the PlayStation 2 flashing up for half a second at the end, not many people would have a clue what it's about. You might have, but then again you're more than a casual gamer.
> What are they on
> about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the
> second,
> so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But
> honestly,
> did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No.
>
> I did. Although I'm beginning to think I'm one of few...
>
>
> Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order
> scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the
> morning could have gotten one.
>
> But what it did do was to increase awareness and increase demand - all
> advertising increases sales by a small amount no matter how
> irrelevant. And also the PS2 had no competitors at the time, other
> than the Dreamcast, so not many people would have been likely to say
> "Oh, PS2's are sold out, I'll get something else instead".
That's exactly the case. I know a lot of people who DID go out and buy something instead. My mate had to get a cheque from his bank account to pay his mum for it, and the guy working there asked what it was for. When he was told it was for a PS2, he said he was going to get one, but there weren't any available so he was thinking of getting a Dreamcast and a separate DVD player. So ha! :~}
> Well someone's racist, and it certainly isn't me.
?
> The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to
> do
> with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit
> of
> an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was
> against some religion or something.
>
> It was banned because it emphasised the shortness of life - surely
> that's a good thing, as it makes you get a move on and actually do
> something with you life rather than squander it.
>
>
> But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised,
> rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time
> I
> hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'.
> Heh heh.
>
> To me that is Nintendo's biggest problem - they feel the need to
> plaster "Only on
> let go!
Good points though. They're all still crap ads, wouldn't you say?
> Strange that. I did think twice about them. The ads made me think
> about waht the hell was going on, and as you only saw each bit for a
> short amount of time it made you want to see it again.
You could put it that way, but the fact is, would a grandma, or a mother, or a casual gamer know what the hell the ads are on about? Even with the PlayStation 2 flashing up for half a second at the end, not many people would have a clue what it's about. You might have, but then again you're more than a casual gamer.
> What are they on
> about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the
> second,
> so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But
> honestly,
> did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No.
>
> I did. Although I'm beginning to think I'm one of few...
>
>
> Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order
> scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the
> morning could have gotten one.
>
> But what it did do was to increase awareness and increase demand - all
> advertising increases sales by a small amount no matter how
> irrelevant. And also the PS2 had no competitors at the time, other
> than the Dreamcast, so not many people would have been likely to say
> "Oh, PS2's are sold out, I'll get something else instead".
That's exactly the case. I know a lot of people who DID go out and buy something instead. My mate had to get a cheque from his bank account to pay his mum for it, and the guy working there asked what it was for. When he was told it was for a PS2, he said he was going to get one, but there weren't any available so he was thinking of getting a Dreamcast and a separate DVD player. So ha! :~}
> Well someone's racist, and it certainly isn't me.
?
> The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to
> do
> with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit
> of
> an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was
> against some religion or something.
>
> It was banned because it emphasised the shortness of life - surely
> that's a good thing, as it makes you get a move on and actually do
> something with you life rather than squander it.
>
>
> But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised,
> rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time
> I
> hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'.
> Heh heh.
>
> To me that is Nintendo's biggest problem - they feel the need to
> plaster "Only on
> let go!
Good points though. They're all still crap ads, wouldn't you say?
I know what you mean. Some game adverts do appear pretty corny but I think that the majority of adverts today have been of good quality.
For example, Die Hard Vendetta, 007: NightFire and Splinter Cell. Fair enough you do see the odd advert that boasts ratings of the game rather than what's actually in the game, but that is how it grabs people's attention. Imagine those narrators with the deep voices telling you about the multiplaying capabilities in the game, it would seem cheesier than ever and no other people apart from gamers would think about buying such a game.
I think that adverts are doing the business justice, apart for the Fifa edited clips that are plain evil because their full of deceit. But the majority are good. They are just the right length keeping viewers wanting more and they show the positive aspects of the game. The only bad aspect is when greedy developers that are more interested about making money rather than showing the true potential of the game, show only small parts of the game that LOOK good.
On a high note though, I enjoy seeing footage of games with a high prospect on the telly. They may exaggerate a little but that's what advertising's all about.
For example, Die Hard Vendetta, 007: NightFire and Splinter Cell. Fair enough you do see the odd advert that boasts ratings of the game rather than what's actually in the game, but that is how it grabs people's attention. Imagine those narrators with the deep voices telling you about the multiplaying capabilities in the game, it would seem cheesier than ever and no other people apart from gamers would think about buying such a game.
I think that adverts are doing the business justice, apart for the Fifa edited clips that are plain evil because their full of deceit. But the majority are good. They are just the right length keeping viewers wanting more and they show the positive aspects of the game. The only bad aspect is when greedy developers that are more interested about making money rather than showing the true potential of the game, show only small parts of the game that LOOK good.
On a high note though, I enjoy seeing footage of games with a high prospect on the telly. They may exaggerate a little but that's what advertising's all about.
½pint wrote:
> The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete
> with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the
> kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about.
Strange that. I did think twice about them. The ads made me think about waht the hell was going on, and as you only saw each bit for a short amount of time it made you want to see it again.
> What are they on
> about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second,
> so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly,
> did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No.
I did. Although I'm beginning to think I'm one of few...
> Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order
> scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the
> morning could have gotten one.
But what it did do was to increase awareness and increase demand - all advertising increases sales by a small amount no matter how irrelevant. And also the PS2 had no competitors at the time, other than the Dreamcast, so not many people would have been likely to say "Oh, PS2's are sold out, I'll get something else instead".
> But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for
> starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the
> Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap
> and playing Fifa, or something.
Well, and I think I speak for a great mass of people here, hate the Dorito's adverts. They're crap. Utter crap. And whenever they show a group of men on a couch (usually one's on the floor slightly to the side) they look very, very homosexual indeed. The average member of the public being homphobic, I doubt this is a good idea.
> No ducks.
Well someone's racist, and it certainly isn't me.
> The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do
> with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of
> an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was
> against some religion or something.
It was banned because it emphasised the shortness of life - surely that's a good thing, as it makes you get a move on and actually do something with you life rather than squander it.
> But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised,
> rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I
> hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'.
> Heh heh.
To me that is Nintendo's biggest problem - they feel the need to plaster "Only on" on every advert, box etc for every exclusive game. Just let go!
> The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete
> with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the
> kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about.
Strange that. I did think twice about them. The ads made me think about waht the hell was going on, and as you only saw each bit for a short amount of time it made you want to see it again.
> What are they on
> about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second,
> so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly,
> did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No.
I did. Although I'm beginning to think I'm one of few...
> Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order
> scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the
> morning could have gotten one.
But what it did do was to increase awareness and increase demand - all advertising increases sales by a small amount no matter how irrelevant. And also the PS2 had no competitors at the time, other than the Dreamcast, so not many people would have been likely to say "Oh, PS2's are sold out, I'll get something else instead".
> But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for
> starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the
> Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap
> and playing Fifa, or something.
Well, and I think I speak for a great mass of people here, hate the Dorito's adverts. They're crap. Utter crap. And whenever they show a group of men on a couch (usually one's on the floor slightly to the side) they look very, very homosexual indeed. The average member of the public being homphobic, I doubt this is a good idea.
> No ducks.
Well someone's racist, and it certainly isn't me.
> The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do
> with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of
> an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was
> against some religion or something.
It was banned because it emphasised the shortness of life - surely that's a good thing, as it makes you get a move on and actually do something with you life rather than squander it.
> But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised,
> rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I
> hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'.
> Heh heh.
To me that is Nintendo's biggest problem - they feel the need to plaster "Only on
My family are only mildly aware of my gaming 'passion'. They know I play games, my dad likes PC games but they haven't really got a clue. If I don't give them specific instructions, they're likely to go and buy me the latest Army Men game for my birthday, rather than something half good. Therefore, when it comes to games I keep to myself, as I know they don't have a clue and don't really want to know.
So when a game advert comes onto the TV, I'm generally enthusiastic about what it shows. I mean, it's great watching Tommy Vercetti running around, Starfox smacking enemies and Wave Racers Wave Racing. But the fact is, I sometimes get embarrased about how poor the adverts are. Often quips are made about particularly poor adverts, and I don't understand why I've never seen a decent videogame advert. Lets think about a few examples...
The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about. What are they on about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second, so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly, did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No. Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the morning could have gotten one. If you ask me, they should have started using adverts for the PlayStation 2 - good adverts - around the time that the average Joe could actually go and buy one.
But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap and playing Fifa, or something. No ducks. An advert which would emphasise fun, post-pub fun. Football is a good point to focus on, and would certainly have sold consoles. But they went for the ducks.
The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was against some religion or something. It's true that they made more of an impact than the PS2, because I remember one of my non-gaming chums coming up to me and mentioning it. However just like the PS2, the adverts had nothing to do with the Xbox, other than the slogan. Life's Short. Play Hard. I think it was.
So what could have made the Xbox sell? I think more focus on it's outstanding specifications, with more quotes from people saying 'the console with the best graphics, and the best games'. So what if it was a Microsoft employee. It would have sold the console. And if only they hadn't slapped the Microsoft logo at the bottom, they could have gotten away with marketing it as the Xbox, not the Microsoft Xbox. Oh well.
The GameCube has arguably had the most normal advertising, although that's not to say they weren't particularly good. The strange rotating Cube could have been done away with, but the gameplay footage is a big plus. Ads for StarFox are still going strong in the same format, but the trouble is people haven't got a clue what it is. I remember listening to a conversation between two people in Game, one woman who thought the add-on screen was required. The plonker.
That's one aspect of the GameCube which needs to be marketed though - the fact that it's a console. People know what the PlayStation is, but few casuals could recognise the Nintendo GameCube as a console in its own right. Again, like with what I think would be a good suggestion for the PS2, an advertisement campaign which focuses on friends, and multiplayer would be very good. And quotes which rank it above the PS2 :).
I think the main problem is that they don't know where to start. They don't know what to advertise, how to do it and not make it look silly. Sony employed some strange blokey who royally cocked things up. Xbox adverts have been mildly good, as I remember seeing the 10/10 Edge score adorning television screens during Halo adverts. However, the obvious thing which really ought to be stressed is the the graphics in the games, and the multiplayer. Those are the system sellers, not stupid slogans. But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised, rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'. Heh heh.
So when a game advert comes onto the TV, I'm generally enthusiastic about what it shows. I mean, it's great watching Tommy Vercetti running around, Starfox smacking enemies and Wave Racers Wave Racing. But the fact is, I sometimes get embarrased about how poor the adverts are. Often quips are made about particularly poor adverts, and I don't understand why I've never seen a decent videogame advert. Lets think about a few examples...
The PS2. We all saw those bloody aweful third place adverts, complete with the stupid duck and park bench malarky. They were strange, the kind of advert you wouldn't think twice about. What are they on about? The PlayStation wasn't there in the first place or the second, so I don't know why they're marketing it as the third. But honestly, did anybody actually have a clue what these ads were about? No. Didn't they increase sales? No, because of the stupid pre-order scheme which meant only hardcore fans camping at 3 o'clock in the morning could have gotten one. If you ask me, they should have started using adverts for the PlayStation 2 - good adverts - around the time that the average Joe could actually go and buy one.
But what would make a good advertisement for the PS2? Well, for starters, something which would appeal to the masses. Like the Dorito's advert with the 'mates round', except with a PS2, multitap and playing Fifa, or something. No ducks. An advert which would emphasise fun, post-pub fun. Football is a good point to focus on, and would certainly have sold consoles. But they went for the ducks.
The Xbox adverts were mildly better, since the slogan was mildly to do with gaming. However, they were ill thought-out, and caused a bit of an outrage - nobody grows at a rate of 5 years a second, and was against some religion or something. It's true that they made more of an impact than the PS2, because I remember one of my non-gaming chums coming up to me and mentioning it. However just like the PS2, the adverts had nothing to do with the Xbox, other than the slogan. Life's Short. Play Hard. I think it was.
So what could have made the Xbox sell? I think more focus on it's outstanding specifications, with more quotes from people saying 'the console with the best graphics, and the best games'. So what if it was a Microsoft employee. It would have sold the console. And if only they hadn't slapped the Microsoft logo at the bottom, they could have gotten away with marketing it as the Xbox, not the Microsoft Xbox. Oh well.
The GameCube has arguably had the most normal advertising, although that's not to say they weren't particularly good. The strange rotating Cube could have been done away with, but the gameplay footage is a big plus. Ads for StarFox are still going strong in the same format, but the trouble is people haven't got a clue what it is. I remember listening to a conversation between two people in Game, one woman who thought the add-on screen was required. The plonker.
That's one aspect of the GameCube which needs to be marketed though - the fact that it's a console. People know what the PlayStation is, but few casuals could recognise the Nintendo GameCube as a console in its own right. Again, like with what I think would be a good suggestion for the PS2, an advertisement campaign which focuses on friends, and multiplayer would be very good. And quotes which rank it above the PS2 :).
I think the main problem is that they don't know where to start. They don't know what to advertise, how to do it and not make it look silly. Sony employed some strange blokey who royally cocked things up. Xbox adverts have been mildly good, as I remember seeing the 10/10 Edge score adorning television screens during Halo adverts. However, the obvious thing which really ought to be stressed is the the graphics in the games, and the multiplayer. Those are the system sellers, not stupid slogans. But until gaming's postive aspects are advertised, rather than plain odd things, I'm going to have to cringe every time I hear some strangely accented guy say 'only on Nintindo Gaemecube'. Heh heh.