EA, the worst/best Game marketer in the industry

[CptStern]

interesting article on EA's PR stunts

During Comic-Con, EA ran a contest where show attendees were invited to "commit acts of lust" by taking a picture with one of their booth babes. The best image will be rewarded by a "date" with two models, a limo, and an awkward night of strained conversation.

When our coverage of the story hit Twitter, the meme #EAFail was born, and the response was swift and negative. "You lost a customer who was actually excited about the game," one woman complained. "Next time, no objectifying women."

In an ironic twist, a writer from GayGamer was "randomly" chosen as a winner after sending in an image standing next to a male booth "babe."

heh that last part was funny. EA when they fail they win,. still not going to buy that abomination of a game; dante's inferno

In the latest chapter of this fun tale, EA has finally decided to simply send editors of prominent gaming sites checks for $200. The point? If the checks are cashed, the gaming press is greedy. If they're not, the gaming press is wasteful. "By cashing this check you succumb to avarice by harding filthy lucre, but by not cashing it, you waste it, and thereby surrender to prodigality. Make your choice and suffer the consequence for your sin,"


This has to be one of the first times money has been sent directly to reviewers and editors with the hope that the story is broken publicly, and that's what makes the stunt so devious; of course it's going to be written about. Joystiq cashed the check and donated the money to charity, Kotaku posted video of their check burning. Without having a list of sites that received the faux bribe, it's impossible to tell if anyone actually cashed the check and kept the money.

Cheapy D, who runs the popular deals site CheapAssGamer, weighed in on the check. "Kotaku charges an $8 CPM (cost per 1,000 banner impressions) for their standard advertising banners. Their news post about this PR stunt will likely surpass 40,000 views," he explained. "To err on the safe side, let's say the total cost of the check and fancy box is $300. Since [the post's author] burned the check, EA basically spent the equivalent of a $2.50 CPM for a front page news post on Kotaku. That is an incredible value. Nice job, EA Marketing!"

man someone sure is certainly earning their big ad exec salary. bravo

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/09/eafail-the-story-of-the-worst-pr-campaign-in-gaming.ars

 

[VictimOfScience]

Hmm, that second part makes me glad Bioware is taking the "aggressively gray" route with the moral choices for Dragon Age (supposedly). There is quite simply no black and white and games that only let you choose the 'good' or 'bad' choice are shams (looking at you, Mass Effect...even though I love you). Cashing the check is not inherently greedy, nor is not cashing it wasteful. What if you used it to help a charity or support a volunteer fire company? Greedy? I think not. Not cashing will do absolutely ZERO. No money has moved anywhere. The only waste is the paper and ink it took to create the physical check itself.

And I frankly HATE their marketing department as it is these SHITEATERS that delayed my beloved PC DragonAge from LAST MARCH(FFS!!!!!) until November so that they could focus on one concentrated marketing push with the effing lousy console versions. No mercy for these tools!!! :sniper:

 

[Jintor]

What VictemofScience said - demonstrates effectively why a black and white morality system works not IRL.

Interesting decision marketingwise but, especially if them numbers be true.

 

[jverne]

i'm still waiting for the day EA will crash and burn.

heck, they'll probably name the new need for speed "crash and burn" and it's gonna sell in millions i tell ya!


and i'd probably cash in the check and buy hookers