Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Ads in your games? Whatever next?

You've seen them so many times in movies and TV. Carefully placed products and logos scattered seemingly innocently around the scene, a can of Coke here, a bottle of Heinekin, Bud or whatever somewhere else, a car passing the golden arches of McDonalds. It happens now with such frequency that those of us who aren't slaves to advertising like myself probably ignore them- I don't even remember Will's car in I-Robot (above) had an Audi logo- maybe it was because the movie was a load of shit?

However I didn't ignore some advertising the other day; Sam Fisher, the Ex Navy S.E.A.L. you play in Splinter Cell 3: Chaos Theory is preparing for a mission on board an Osprey, he opens a pack of chewing gum and pops one in his mouth. He sets it down and the camera pans downwards to focus on it- a pack of Airwaves! It was the most blatent advertising, I'd ever seen in a game. Okay I've seen the advertising in a virtual football field and billboards in driving games but never in something like this and certainly not something as blatent.

It turns out however that this new practice works just as well as The Force on the weak-minded according to a study that was highlighted on Sci Fi Wire today.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wait a second Creedon If Sam Fisher enjoys Airwaves chewing gum does this mean you'll be chewing it too? I mean let us all not forget the 7up Binge or should I say Yoda Juice binge you went on for six months after seeing the advertising tie in with The Phantom Menace!

Unknown said...

What about the blatant use of Durex condoms in Anal Assassins 4??? Disgraceful!!!

Anonymous said...

In principle I have no objection to in-game advertising. Just so long as my framerate doesn't drop at critical moment, like just before the Colonel dies :-)

Major General Creedon said...

@ Vaughan: No I chew Orbit. I drank 7up before Yoda started appearing on the labels as you well know. Gobshite!

@ Cubaby: I don't remember that scene..Erm I mean I havn't seen that.

@ Sith Apologist: I don't recall any advertising in Unreal Tournament

Anonymous said...

I know what you can do, modify that blog image of yourself and casually put a packet of Orbit in your hand ,that way you can
A. make cash from advertising royalties
b. Be finally like Sam Fisher
and at least we know what yoda juice was made of , Jawa Juice now thats a completely different question............

Anonymous said...

But, if he wants to be like Obi-Wan, he must both find out what makes Jawa Juice and drink it. Its in his religion.
No, there was no advertising in UT2004. Hence, no framerate drop off when I pulled the trigger :)

Major General Creedon said...

The closest thing is "jawa juice" from the tamarind tree which grows in Africa and Malaysia.
It's used for cooking fish, but I don't think it's for drinking.

Anonymous said...

Thats not where the Jawa's get their juice from. I imagine jawa juice to be produced by ... best left unsaid.

Major General Creedon said...

How do you know. When were you last in Africa and Malaysia?

Anonymous said...

You'd be suprised where I've been ...

Major General Creedon said...

If you mean "into a wine-bar" then you already told me.

Anonymous said...

sssh... thats classified
lol