Viewing Thread:
"New Advertising Techniques"

After watching recently many advertisements for new game releases, (especially the semi-recent Metal Gear Solid 2 and GameCube ads) I have come to the conclusion that game advertising still remains rather formulaic and what's worse, doesn't show why I should buy the game advertised. Most of the ads are happy by showing some subtly surrealist sequence and/or combining it with FMV from the game. I think that excluding actual lack of skill, one of the reasons game advertisements are, in general, unsuccessful is because the advertisers find it difficult to recreate through visuals only the immediate and tangible feeling of playing the videogame in question – that is why advertisers usually resort to using surrealistic and/or metaphorical imagery. I feel that new ways to advertise videogames are needed; surely more games would be sold if more people in the audience knew what the advertisement was actually trying to sell. With this in mind, I have come up with a new technique for use in advertising –a more direct approach that would be more useful.

My idea involves heavy use of montage as defined by Sergei Eisenstein and his colleagues of 1920s Soviet cinema. In short, montage refers to the technique in which creation of a sense or meaning is not derived from the images themselves but by their constant juxtaposition; Eisenstein's aim was to manipulate the audience’s emotions into one pre–determined direction using this technique. The best example of this technique, for me, comes in a sequence at the end of Eisenstein's The Strike, in which the workers on strike are shown being massacred by the Tsarist army. The way in which the sequence is shot, however, emphasizes the tragedy by cross–cutting and juxtaposing images from a butcher cutting up a cow (I believe the point Eisenstein was trying to make in this sequence is obvious). However, although I suggest using Eisenstein's definition, in practice I'm thinking of using montage in the manner of Kuleshov's experiments. In one of these experiments he showed how a smile was seen to change its significance according to the image that preceded it. It is this kind of idea that I'd like implemented in game advertisements. I'll provide a simple example:

- A person is shown playing a game console.
- Shot of smile.
- Footage of game being played.
- Shot of smile.
- Game console and/or game advertised are shown separately, along with company logo.
- Shot of smile.

Admittedly, my example is somewhat crude and unimaginative. Nevertheless, I believe a talented filmmaker could make better, more effective game advertisements using the basic structure of montage and combining with creativity. Learn the rules, and then break them. Advertising is a very fashion oriented industry; producers go with what happens to be in vogue at that particular time. Take Sony's 'Third Place' series as an example. Gamers and critics raved about it; it was off-the-wall, kind of cool, and very 'Sony'. But when my mother saw the ads she had no idea what they were for. It might be fashionable it skirt around what you're advertising, but don't stray too far. Secondly, who is your target audience? If you're advertising the latest Silent Hill title then sure, a montage might well get your target thinking about the product, and considering what your point is. But try it on the latest Action Man title and you'll not stand a chance. The Cheerios ad following is more exciting than thinking. Thirdly, you'd have to be careful. Imagine an advert for Doom 3, chainsaws and plasma rifles ripping demons apart, interspersed with visuals of someone smiling. Does that say 'fun game' to you? Or does it say 'Hey, you're a psycho'? Montage requires thought, so it's really for adults, which means it’s for adult games, and, well, chainsaws and smiles.

Ok, there’s the awful Halo advert, that’s given. It’s trying to sell the game on testosterone and slick graphics. But that’s what the game is all about. Fairy snuff. But what about the GameCube ads? They're offbeat without being obscure, they show the games well, and they have a thought provoking twist. And on top of that they promote the Nintendo brand. Few companies could ask for more from an ad. Sometimes, being different for the sake of it doesn't work. Film and television literacy jumps with every generation. Eisenstein is rightly applauded as a pioneer, and his films have a powerful artistry, but as a modern sales device? Yes, games advertising usually misses the point, and modern advertising in general often lacks focus, but this is due to advertisers fear of being seen as boring, condescending, and manipulative, to a young audience. Being thudding obvious is almost as bad as being too oblique. Also the ability to 'read' games footage is an acquired skill. The Jak and Daxter ads quite neatly used the cut-scene footage to emphasize its 'cartoon-ness' and humor. I thought the Lucozade ads did a great job of selling the essence of the games, with a bit of added humor thrown in, without alienating anyone by showing Ms. Croft blowing away cuddly, wild animals.
Pity they were selling soft drinks, and not the games...

Thanks for reading,
LF

fosbe wrote:
> P.S Excelent post gad worthy.


definitely.


One purpose of advertising though is simply to try to bring a product to the attention of the viewer. So long as they do know what something is and that it exists, and they're sometimes reminded of it's presence, then they can decide for themselves whether they want to buy something.
Most people can decide for themselves whether they want to buy something, if they want to they will, if not, a tv ad probably won't change their mind.
But if you keep reminding them that the product is out there, they'll think it over, maybe decide they do want to buy it.

And of course there's brand selction. I guess here to an extent, trying to convince ther viewer to choose the product can be effective, but it's one of many factors. Here, the screen shots are really the main weapon. Hence advertisers (dishonestly, in my opinion) plaster fmv everywhere.
Dirty chimps.

Good point Fosbe, and thanks for the kind comments. In the advert, they should have a voice, which says 'Not in-game footage' or something, so that they can at least say that the kids have been told it, or make the text bigger so that they can read it, but then it would probably have to fill half the screen.

Then again, what 3-year-old is going to understand Harry Potter?

Did any of you notice the harry potter adverts it actually said fottage not in game, and it was showing like computer gaming graphics of a litle guy on a broomstick, if you were a 4 year old oyu would think wow!! Then run off to your mum to ask to get the game, because they cant actually read what it says on the screen. I think game companies could be exploiting people only the small ones though and the ones that cant read.

P.S Excelent post gad worthy.

To me, it's misleading when they show FMVs over actual gameplay footage, and in my opinion, there should be some sort of Customer Rights law, which means that they must show actual gameplay footage during some point, if not all of the advert, as some idiotic buyers who assume that the FMV is the gameplay are going to be very disappointed, in many instances. I don't think that I could be as stupid to be unable to distunguish the two, but then, there are some dumb people out there, and technology is advancing all the time, at a catastrophic rate.

Thank god subliminal advertising was banned, though, or Sony, Ninty and Mikey would be having a field day with us lot...

Game adverts are sometimes very deceitful, but one thing you'll notice with them is that the ones that appear the best end up being rubbish and the ones that look rubbish end up being good. It's a funny philosophy but it's true.

In a way, I understand where you're coming from but you have to realise that the creators of these advert's main aim is to sell sell sell. This is the reason most adverts show FMV and not in game play. Showing people playing the game on a console isn't such a bad idea, and it would certainly change the way other games adverts would be made. Soon we'll be seeing L'Oreal type adverts for games if they take on this idea.

Good or bad thing? You decide.

After watching recently many advertisements for new game releases, (especially the semi-recent Metal Gear Solid 2 and GameCube ads) I have come to the conclusion that game advertising still remains rather formulaic and what's worse, doesn't show why I should buy the game advertised. Most of the ads are happy by showing some subtly surrealist sequence and/or combining it with FMV from the game. I think that excluding actual lack of skill, one of the reasons game advertisements are, in general, unsuccessful is because the advertisers find it difficult to recreate through visuals only the immediate and tangible feeling of playing the videogame in question – that is why advertisers usually resort to using surrealistic and/or metaphorical imagery. I feel that new ways to advertise videogames are needed; surely more games would be sold if more people in the audience knew what the advertisement was actually trying to sell. With this in mind, I have come up with a new technique for use in advertising –a more direct approach that would be more useful.

My idea involves heavy use of montage as defined by Sergei Eisenstein and his colleagues of 1920s Soviet cinema. In short, montage refers to the technique in which creation of a sense or meaning is not derived from the images themselves but by their constant juxtaposition; Eisenstein's aim was to manipulate the audience’s emotions into one pre–determined direction using this technique. The best example of this technique, for me, comes in a sequence at the end of Eisenstein's The Strike, in which the workers on strike are shown being massacred by the Tsarist army. The way in which the sequence is shot, however, emphasizes the tragedy by cross–cutting and juxtaposing images from a butcher cutting up a cow (I believe the point Eisenstein was trying to make in this sequence is obvious). However, although I suggest using Eisenstein's definition, in practice I'm thinking of using montage in the manner of Kuleshov's experiments. In one of these experiments he showed how a smile was seen to change its significance according to the image that preceded it. It is this kind of idea that I'd like implemented in game advertisements. I'll provide a simple example:

- A person is shown playing a game console.
- Shot of smile.
- Footage of game being played.
- Shot of smile.
- Game console and/or game advertised are shown separately, along with company logo.
- Shot of smile.

Admittedly, my example is somewhat crude and unimaginative. Nevertheless, I believe a talented filmmaker could make better, more effective game advertisements using the basic structure of montage and combining with creativity. Learn the rules, and then break them. Advertising is a very fashion oriented industry; producers go with what happens to be in vogue at that particular time. Take Sony's 'Third Place' series as an example. Gamers and critics raved about it; it was off-the-wall, kind of cool, and very 'Sony'. But when my mother saw the ads she had no idea what they were for. It might be fashionable it skirt around what you're advertising, but don't stray too far. Secondly, who is your target audience? If you're advertising the latest Silent Hill title then sure, a montage might well get your target thinking about the product, and considering what your point is. But try it on the latest Action Man title and you'll not stand a chance. The Cheerios ad following is more exciting than thinking. Thirdly, you'd have to be careful. Imagine an advert for Doom 3, chainsaws and plasma rifles ripping demons apart, interspersed with visuals of someone smiling. Does that say 'fun game' to you? Or does it say 'Hey, you're a psycho'? Montage requires thought, so it's really for adults, which means it’s for adult games, and, well, chainsaws and smiles.

Ok, there’s the awful Halo advert, that’s given. It’s trying to sell the game on testosterone and slick graphics. But that’s what the game is all about. Fairy snuff. But what about the GameCube ads? They're offbeat without being obscure, they show the games well, and they have a thought provoking twist. And on top of that they promote the Nintendo brand. Few companies could ask for more from an ad. Sometimes, being different for the sake of it doesn't work. Film and television literacy jumps with every generation. Eisenstein is rightly applauded as a pioneer, and his films have a powerful artistry, but as a modern sales device? Yes, games advertising usually misses the point, and modern advertising in general often lacks focus, but this is due to advertisers fear of being seen as boring, condescending, and manipulative, to a young audience. Being thudding obvious is almost as bad as being too oblique. Also the ability to 'read' games footage is an acquired skill. The Jak and Daxter ads quite neatly used the cut-scene footage to emphasize its 'cartoon-ness' and humor. I thought the Lucozade ads did a great job of selling the essence of the games, with a bit of added humor thrown in, without alienating anyone by showing Ms. Croft blowing away cuddly, wild animals.
Pity they were selling soft drinks, and not the games...

Thanks for reading,
LF