Weirdest game promotions?

ebagg

Sometimes I really wonder what's the point of these crazy promotional ads for games, what are some of the weirdest ones you can think of?

For example:
-Mercenaries 2 has actors dress up as the main characters and "hijack" a gas station;
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3EEiJZKtXU[/ame]

-Saints Row 2 has celebrity spokespersons Gary Busey and Tera Patrick:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY3ZWsHtsXg[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQhMJ3h7fs[/ame]

-Red Faction Guerilla uses that dude from Future Weapons:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbKqufFA4Y8[/ame]

-Red Alert 3 uses WWE wrestler uses Rick "Nature Boy" Flair to take on a soviet bear:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00piCzD9WIU[/ame]

And really, with layoffs left and right, why are they still spending money on this, does it really make any more games go off the store shevles?

Farfarer

For me, nothing beats ol' Shadowman's "free gravestone if you let us put a Shadowman advert on it" campain.

ericdigital

The Rick Flair ones had my dying, I was not expecting that. I have no idea how it relates to the game but it sure as hell made me laugh

Unleashed

"John Romero's about to make you his BITCH! Suck it down!!"

Justin Meisse

Usually big TV & Print campaigns cost more and are less effective - so making a cheap, viral video like the Flair vs Bear series is probably the best way to spend their advertising dollars.

Granted, the Mercanaries thing was rediculous.

Ott

And really, with layoffs left and right, why are they still spending money on this, does it really make any more games go off the store shevles?

Between Busey, Rick Flair, and Tera Patrick, do you think any of those "celebrities" were really paid that much for what they did? It was probably a 1-day shoot in front of a blue screen with about 1-3 minutes of final dialog.

Part of the budget goes towards advertising, and the whole "corny/uncomfortable/weird" viral stuff is sort of the "in" thing right now. Personally I'd rather see cheesy stuff like this than Tom Cruise telling me I need to buy the latest SIMS game.

It get's a laugh, and now, because of this very thread, we have all been exposed to these games even more simply by clicking on these ads, which in turn is exactly the concept behind the viral marketing in the first place.

I say "well played".

danr

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=50&q=%22the+alfred+chicken+party%22&btnG=Search&meta=

someone's still got the costume, apparently

ebagg

Ott wrote: »

Between Busey, Rick Flair, and Tera Patrick, do you think any of those "celebrities" were really paid that much for what they did? It was probably a 1-day shoot in front of a blue screen with about 1-3 minutes of final dialog.

I was under the impression celebrities get a ton of money for advertising, I know some stars who say a few lines in a movie get paid more than I make in year. I've heard about stars making six figures for voice over work. Celebrities make a ton of money, even for the little things.

Bronco

Capcoms Resident evil 5 promotion was the most original ive seen for awhile.

The plan.... http://www.destructoid.com/capcom-to-make-fans-wave-severed-limbs-on-a-bridge-for-re5-124361.phtml

What acturally happened:-

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/capcom-s-body-parts-competition-goes-wrong-limbs-missing-$1279812.htm

LOLz at the red Alert promo!!.

John

Ott

Well, of course any of those 3 celebrities made more per hour of that video shoot than most of us get paid in a day, but it isn't like any of them could demand the same sort of cash as "serious" actors. The last thing Busey did of any merit was Celebrity Rehab for crying out loud. They are C/D-Listers at best. Tera Patrick probably has the biggest following of the three, and she is a professional hooker.

Mezz

Ott wrote: »

Well, of course any of those 3 celebrities made more per hour of that video shoot than most of us get paid in a day, but it isn't like any of them could demand the same sort of cash as "serious" actors. The last thing Busey did of any merit was Celebrity Rehab for crying out loud. They are C/D-Listers at best. Tera Patrick probably has the biggest following of the three, and she is a professional hooker.

I agree, they definately didn't get paid anywhere near as much as an A-list celebrity would. (Like some of the actors they got for the WoW adds, if I remember correctly?)
Case and point--who the heck are these people? I've never heard of them. Hence, not huge actors. :P

PixelMasher

on the extreme chance of this causing this thread to spin outta control in the usual polycount manner given the subject matter, Fear 2's black cats campaign had me scratching my head and saying wtf, who comes up with this shite!?

I really wish I could come up with insanely random marketing schemes and get paid far more than the average artist for it.....Ladies and gents, the evidence if you may. (once again no responsibility for thread explosion.....)



ummmmm........... ok?
not so scary...could picked something else, like erectile disfuntction.....now thats scary.

kwakkie

ebagg wrote: »

And really, with layoffs left and right, why are they still spending money on this, does it really make any more games go off the store shevles?

It's called publicity and you fell for it! Threads/coverage like this is the reason they do it

leilei

Who is Matt Hazard for one, though the retro geoshitties site spoof was already done years ago by Vice City

Mark Dygert

The weirdest piece of swag I ever got was a semi-squishy Blood mouse pad that was filled full of red liquid, totally useless as a mouse pad but pretty awesome none the less.

Microneezia

PixelMasher wrote: »

.....Fear 2's black cats campaign ....

oh man lol, this is awesome! makes me want to grab a copy and settle it down in my lap for some all night stroking!

rolfness

If Im not mistaken jenna jameson had something to do with C&C RA3.. I find that amusing.. shes seen more cocks than a farmer that supplies chickens to KFC... I mena selling a product to kids that has a porn star... is that right ?

ebagg

rolfness wrote: »

If Im not mistaken jenna jameson had something to do with C&C RA3.. I find that amusing.. shes seen more cocks than a farmer that supplies chickens to KFC... I mena selling a product to kids that has a porn star... is that right ?

I think you are confusing Jenna Jameson with Jennifer McCarthy.

rolfness

hahahaha.. sorry my mistake..

Steve Schulze

Didn't Acclaim offer prizes to anyone who'd name their newborn babby 'Turok' to advertise the release of Turok 2?

charger

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAfsSA6_GrE[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5uOTWJigZ4[/ame]

second one has the best song :x

Manganiac

Dancing Saddam vs the Aliens...?
can you play as the aliens...?

anyways
my favored (actually it's cool more than weird, sorry about that)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRUdX-V5Ah8&feature=related[/ame]

Steve Schulze

You're getting your dictators mixed up.

lefix

one of my favs
http://www.youtube.com/v/Om84Zc4-KcQ&hl=de&fs=1

forgive me, but how do you guys embed yt videos?
first post fail

Rox

lefix wrote: »

one of my favs
http://www.youtube.com/v/Om84Zc4-KcQ&hl=de&fs=1

forgive me, but how do you guys embed yt videos?
first post fail

Click the quote button to see how the others do it!
Or just paste the regular URL. It's automatic.