Not a good year for you, eh Ubisoft?

mookiemookie · 04-19-10, 04:00 PM

Granted, this was the dumb fault of their marketing partner, but the Ubi name is in the news for stupidity again:

http://kotaku.com/5519695/splinter-c...s-someone-shot

Dowly · 04-19-10, 04:05 PM

And all this because of a ****ty game like SC. METAL GEAR SOLID! WOOOT!!

SteamWake · 04-19-10, 04:32 PM

Quote:

they hired out another marketing company to put the event together and had no idea that a gun was to be used

Nice spin but they are still ultimatly responsable.

krashkart · 04-19-10, 05:14 PM

Great idea, go to a crowded nightclub scene and point a toy gun at people. Spectacular intelligence!

Platapus · 04-19-10, 06:49 PM

I can just imagine the marketing guy telling the big boss (JP) about this idea.

"Listen JP, some of the guys in marketing came up with a boffo idea. Let me sizzle it for you"

"Splinter cell is a rather successful series about a special agent fighting the bad guys, right? How about this.. We get some guy to dress up and then he goes to some of the popular bars in the area and point fake guns at them. This will make the people want to buy the game.

How's that, JP. I think it is the bomb!"

JP:

JP: TJ (Senior VP), I would like the entire marketing division eliminated please. Would you see to it?

TJ: You mean reorganized or restructured, JP?

JP: No, eliminated. I don't want the bodies found.

CaptainHaplo · 04-19-10, 06:57 PM

In certain places in the US - it woulda been the coroner they called.

antikristuseke · 04-19-10, 07:15 PM

Had I been involved, noone would notice hisdisapearance and the coroner could get some rest

TLAM Strike · 04-19-10, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

Had I been involved, noone would notice hisdisapearance and the coroner could get some rest

And that would have been more in the spirit of the game being promoted.

Come on Splinter Cell was about espionage, IIRC you fail a few of the missions if you kill someone. At least in the first game.

Why not have a dude in black PJs Abseil or Fast Rope off an office building, then be whisked away in a black van. That would be in keeping with the Black Ops nature of SC, and still be cool and publicity generating.

mookiemookie · 04-19-10, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Nice spin but they are still ultimatly responsable.

Exactly! marketing gone wrong means you didn't get anyone interested in your product. Criminal charges happen when you point toy guns at people who don't know they're toy guns. It ain't marketing gone wrong!

CaptainHaplo · 04-19-10, 09:41 PM

The dude who actually did it is lucky to be alive. The reality is that in certain clubs - he would have eaten lead rather quickly from about 5 different directions.

If its one of THE clubs to be at - usually you have someone there with an entourage - and the entourage usually packs for "security" - though its rare they carry legally.

Had someone been carrying legally - they would have been legitimately protecting the lives of people from a percieved threat had they popped him.

stabiz · 04-20-10, 02:20 AM

This reminds me of a news story from Norway a while back. A gas station was to train its employes in how to handle armed robbery, so they hired a firm that uses ex cops to simulate these situations. The employees were told what was going to happen, so they could mentally prepare, etc, etc, the only problem was that the "robber" went to the wrong gas station and gave a poor woman lots og grey hairs and a trip to the shrink.

UnderseaLcpl · 04-20-10, 03:54 AM

I couldn't load the link for some reason (rainstorms tend to ruin my connection, apparently), but I can't believe anyone at Ubisoft would get away with proposing a scheme that is even remotely like what I am hearing.

They must really be poorly managed or in dire straits to even attempt such a thing.

A good rule of thumb in marketing is that it must be as inoffensive as possible and not rely on "shock value". True, there are cases where shock campaigns have paid off, but they are few and far between, and usually rely on targeting a very specific demographic.

I'm no Splinter Cell fan (I don't like the blend of realism and ridonkulousness) but last I heard it was a popular franchise amongst adults and children. As such, marketing should be directed towards a broad range of audiences. A series of TV spots with Sam Fischer edited into popular videos of real-life crimes or police raids might do the trick, but no matter how you slice it, pulling fake guns on people is bad for business.

04-20-10, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Had someone been carrying legally - they would have been legitimately protecting the lives of people from a percieved threat had they popped him.

In a situation like this, even an illegal carrier could feel threatened enough to risk jail time, over morgue time.

papa_smurf · 04-20-10, 05:28 AM

Well, to quote the phrase "Whoops!"

HunterICX · 04-20-10, 06:27 AM

Not one of the brighest moves in marketing

HunterICX

04-19-10, 04:00 PM	#1
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	Not a good year for you, eh Ubisoft? Granted, this was the dumb fault of their marketing partner, but the Ubi name is in the news for stupidity again: http://kotaku.com/5519695/splinter-c...s-someone-shot __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

04-19-10, 05:14 PM	#4
krashkart Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,292 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	Great idea, go to a crowded nightclub scene and point a toy gun at people. Spectacular intelligence! __________________ sent from my fingertips using a cheap keyboard

04-19-10, 06:49 PM	#5
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,362 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I can just imagine the marketing guy telling the big boss (JP) about this idea. "Listen JP, some of the guys in marketing came up with a boffo idea. Let me sizzle it for you" "Splinter cell is a rather successful series about a special agent fighting the bad guys, right? How about this.. We get some guy to dress up and then he goes to some of the popular bars in the area and point fake guns at them. This will make the people want to buy the game. How's that, JP. I think it is the bomb!" JP: JP: TJ (Senior VP), I would like the entire marketing division eliminated please. Would you see to it? TJ: You mean reorganized or restructured, JP? JP: No, eliminated. I don't want the bodies found. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

04-19-10, 06:57 PM	#6
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	In certain places in the US - it woulda been the coroner they called. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

04-19-10, 09:41 PM	#10
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	The dude who actually did it is lucky to be alive. The reality is that in certain clubs - he would have eaten lead rather quickly from about 5 different directions. If its one of THE clubs to be at - usually you have someone there with an entourage - and the entourage usually packs for "security" - though its rare they carry legally. Had someone been carrying legally - they would have been legitimately protecting the lives of people from a percieved threat had they popped him. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

04-19-10, 04:05 PM	#2
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	And all this because of a ****ty game like SC. METAL GEAR SOLID! WOOOT!!

04-19-10, 07:15 PM	#7
antikristuseke Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Estland Posts: 4,330 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Had I been involved, noone would notice hisdisapearance and the coroner could get some rest

04-20-10, 02:20 AM	#11
stabiz Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 4,224 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	This reminds me of a news story from Norway a while back. A gas station was to train its employes in how to handle armed robbery, so they hired a firm that uses ex cops to simulate these situations. The employees were told what was going to happen, so they could mentally prepare, etc, etc, the only problem was that the "robber" went to the wrong gas station and gave a poor woman lots og grey hairs and a trip to the shrink. __________________

04-20-10, 03:54 AM	#12
UnderseaLcpl Silent Hunter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Storming the beaches! Posts: 4,254 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I couldn't load the link for some reason (rainstorms tend to ruin my connection, apparently), but I can't believe anyone at Ubisoft would get away with proposing a scheme that is even remotely like what I am hearing. They must really be poorly managed or in dire straits to even attempt such a thing. A good rule of thumb in marketing is that it must be as inoffensive as possible and not rely on "shock value". True, there are cases where shock campaigns have paid off, but they are few and far between, and usually rely on targeting a very specific demographic. I'm no Splinter Cell fan (I don't like the blend of realism and ridonkulousness) but last I heard it was a popular franchise amongst adults and children. As such, marketing should be directed towards a broad range of audiences. A series of TV spots with Sam Fischer edited into popular videos of real-life crimes or police raids might do the trick, but no matter how you slice it, pulling fake guns on people is bad for business. __________________ I stole this sig from Task Force

04-20-10, 05:28 AM	#14
papa_smurf Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: High Peak, Derbyshire Posts: 2,851 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	Well, to quote the phrase "Whoops!" __________________

04-20-10, 06:27 AM	#15
HunterICX Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2006 Location: Malaga, España Posts: 10,750 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Not one of the brighest moves in marketing HunterICX __________________