Penny Arcade's Radically Different Marketing Scheme
Posted by Chris on Sunday, May 25th, 2008 at 4:04 pm under Computer, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Games, Microsoft
Do you ever feel like those review excerpts you see pasted onto videogame boxes or advertisements are unfair representations of the game? I’ve slipped an “X is great” comment into reviews of otherwise bad games, and that quote could have been taken out of context to make the entire game seem great. Well, Penny Arcade is going in the opposite direction and using the comments of a PA hater to advertise their new game, Penny Arcade Adventures.
Some poor fellow who calls him or herself “ddf” has been posting comments at Wired for quite some time and trying to convince everyone of how terrible and unfunny Penny Arcade is. He makes such a compelling argument that his quotes are actually being used in the advertisements for the game, which you can see above and below.
Whether or not you agree with ddf, you’ve got to admit this is hilarious. And, it’s also brilliant, because look at all this free advertising and marketing they’re getting.
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May 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
This site sucks and anyone who reads this site sucks and this post is as funny as something that isn't funny at all
May 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Well said
May 25th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
"And, it’s also brilliant, because look at all this free advertising and marketing they’re getting."
Not only is it not brilliant, it certainly isn't free advertising as ddf is only posting in articles which already reference Penny Arcade. So, ddf's comments are additive at best and at worst a deterrent to purchase or patronize Penny Arcade.
Personally I have to agree with ddf that Penny Arcade is generally banal and only humorous to the extent that watching two pseudo intellectual misfits' vain attempts at comedy is funny. Penny Arcade is the comic equivalent of watching William Hung sing. I also bet that ddf is actually just a "clever" ploy by the two idiots who run Penny Arcade to be generate some false controversy around their so-called game and comic strip.
May 25th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
also,
needs more desu
May 25th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Phil, by referring to it as brilliant marketing, I'm not saying ddf's actions are free advertising. I'm saying go and look at a variety of other game blogs that have posted about this advertising campaign (of using ddf's comments) — bam, free advertising, and another story talking about the Penny Arcade game that wouldn't have existed had they gone with the traditional type of ads.
May 25th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
"I'm saying go and look at a variety of other game blogs that have posted about this advertising campaign (of using ddf's comments) — bam, free advertising, and another story talking about the Penny Arcade game that wouldn't have existed had they gone with the traditional type of ads."
No, those game blogs would still have written about the game. If anything a story on this detracts from the promotion of the actual game because it diverts resources and attention that could otherwise be used to write glowing reviews of the game.
May 25th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
[...] an ???X is great??? comment into reviews of otherwise bad games, and that quote could have been takhttp://news.filefront.com/penny-arcades-radically-different-marketing-scheme/New Pa. state university chancellor visits Pennsylvania phillyburbs.comHARRISBURG, Pa. - The [...]
May 25th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Those reviews are going to be written one way or the other. We wouldn't have written anything about Penny Arcade today if this story hadn't come along, and the same can be said for the other blogs.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:10 am
"We wouldn't have written anything about Penny Arcade today if this story hadn't come along, and the same can be said for the other blogs."
That's not necessarily true. First, regarding this site I have seen you and other news posters here write more than one opinion piece for a game or post a story about a game even when it wasn't actually newsworthy at that time. Second, you don't know what other blogs would have done regarding coverage of the game especially ALL other blog sites. You are just being presumptuous and fawning of Penny Arcade since you happen to like the ads.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I didn't see EVERY other blog, I said "other blogs," and I know I spoke about this with a number of other bloggers and website owners who agreed they wouldn't have otherwise written anything about Penny Arcade.
And you make it sound like we had a Penny Arcade quota or something, and this story came along and we said, "Oh, there's something on Penny Arcade, so that'll count as today's PA piece!"
May 26th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
[...] Penny Arcade's Radically Different Marketing Scheme Do you ever feel like those review excerpts you see pasted onto videogame boxes or advertisements are unfair representations of the game? I ve slipped an X is great comment into reviews of otherwise bad games, and that quote could have been taken out of context to make the entire game seem great. Well, Penny Arcade is going in the opposite direction and using the comments of a PA hater to advertise their new game, Penny Arcade Adventures. Some poor fellow who calls him or herself ddf has [...]
May 27th, 2008 at 11:40 am
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