Obama buys an ad...in a video game

[Gangster_Octopus]

Obama is campaigning on Xbox 360

OK, just that they even thought of this kind of boggles my mind.

“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, told me via email, noting that EA regularly allows ad placements in their online games. “Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,” she continued. “Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.”

[Futurama Reference]What’s next, advertising in our dreams?[/Futurama Refererence]

[kasuo]

Is this really effective or just stretching out into the “hip” medium of the world wide web?

When I saw the thread title, I too was reminded of Futurama and the whole Lightspeed Briefs dream commercial.

@Fry

Well, sure, but not in our dreams. Only on TV and radio. And in magazines and movies and at ball games and on buses and milk cartons and T-shirts and written in the sky. But not in dreams. No, sir-ee!

[neutron_star]

I wonder if they chose Burnout on purpose, and if so, why. The object of the game is basically to win races by blowing up the other cars. I’d stick to something a little more family friendly if I were in politics.

[Gangster_Octopus]

@kasuo

Is this really effective or just stretching out into the “hip” medium of the world wide web?

When I saw the thread title, I too was reminded of Futurama and the whole Lightspeed Briefs dream commercial.

I expect it is not particularly effective, except for the fact that it is noteworthy and may get some media play. I am sure that, considering how much money they have and how little it probably cost, it was pretty much, “Hey, let’s try it, what can it hurt.”

[Kinthalis]

I’m not sure how effective advertising in games will be. I think it’s a relatively new development.

If they do work it might pay off. the average gamer age is 29, right? And gaming now has a larger share of the entertainment market than movies.

I will kill someone, however, if I ever get a “diet coke” scroll on my next elder scrolls game.

[E-Sabbath]

By wrecking other cars, Neutron. There’s a difference. No guns, just trying to tackle the other guy into the side of the road. It’s as family friendly as NASCAR.

… and a heck of a lot more fun.

[neutron_star]

@E-Sabbath

By wrecking other cars, Neutron. There’s a difference. No guns, just trying to tackle the other guy into the side of the road. It’s as family friendly as NASCAR.

… and a heck of a lot more fun.

Yeah, but those wrecks can get pretty gruesome… and explosive. I mean, I’m not complaining. I’ve been playing Burnout since the first one for the old Xbox, but those games engage my videogame bloodlust almost as much as GTA. I do wonder why they chose a game as (relatively) old as Burnout Paradise, which came out way back in January. I’d have probably picked something like Madden '09.

Speaking of violent video games, time to get back to Saints Row 2 (it’s way better than the first one!).

[Camelot]

It’s not just Burnout. They chose a whole host of games, including Guitar Hero and several sports games.

[appleciders]

By marketing in games that target older players, Obama ensures that more of his audience are actually eligible to vote. Most Pokemon players aren’t old enough to help him.

EDIT: And on edit, it appears that I’m wrong, and he’s marketing in many different games, including family-oriented ones. Open mouth, insert foot.