ea’s need for speed marketing mishap

 

Besides making the most mind numbing and derivitive games in the industry, EA’s other mjor feat is to continually get themselves into trouble with regards to their public image. Last time they were in the headlines it was due to EA’s CEO telling off the game industry for making boring and complicated games, a problem that we should hold back no small thanks to EA for being the main contributor.

This time, its the trouble is showing naked girls leaning against a Ferrari in an attempt to sell more copies of Need For Speed: Pro Street.

So what is the real problem here? Are boobs not the right thing to show for a marketing campaign? Some would argue that the answer is yes to this, but I do have to disagree. To come to this conclusion I have looked at the issue in depth, asking myself serious questions about the relevance of breats in a campaign. After the detailed reflection, I summarise here for you the questions that make me realise how relevant the campaign it is.

• Are boobs fun? — Yes!
• Are boobs something that will make you look at the promotion? – Yes!
• Are boobs something that the target audience (13 year old boys) are in to? — Yes! 
• Is the ability to get access to a new pair of boobs something that takes time and persistence, much like progressing through the long hard levels of a video game? — Yes!
• Will most of the target audience never get to experience the love of real boobs, and hence appreicate one small glimpse into the world of the ordinary? — Absolutely YES!

The advertising campaign has since been removed from the place it was so proudly displayed, but as will all good moments on the internet, the images have been maintained by a purveyor of fine thoughts. If you are interested, check them out… ( image 1 ) ( image 2 ) ( image 3 ) ( image 4 ) ( image 5 ) ( image 6 ) ( image 7 ) ( image 8 ) ( image 9 ) ( image 10 ) ( image 11 ) 

For those still reading, I also managed to hunt down a video of the photo shoot… Only watch this if you want to know whether the girls in the photos are full of as much profound thought as the marketing campaign developers were. (link)

the count likes to @#$%

 

I don’t ever remember Sesame Street being anything other than some casual fun for children. I used to watch it and adore it… I still do. So its a bit of a shock to see the first and second season be released on DVD and get an Adult Only warning. (via NYTimes). 

Thinking back now, Snuffy was clearly on cocaine and Oscar the Grouch could only have been that grumpy if he was partying on E’s every night and was going through the downhill slide during the taping of the show. And what the f@#$ was Elmo on???

Although maybe its because of how much the Count likes to @#$%. The fact that he likes to @#$% candles is a concearn. I hope they aren’t burning at the time. Watch the video to get some insight into the decision.

testing email rendering just got beautiful

Anyone familiar with creating websites that are cross browser understands the frustration of trying to get them to look consistent against all the web browsers on the market.

Even more frustrating is producing emails that do the same thing. Making it worse is the inability to install each of the email clients on the one computer. While its a quick and painless process for web browsers, for some mail clients its not as fun or possible.

Well spread those hate bugs no longer. CampaignMonitor have a new web application that takes your html code and give you a view of what it looks like through every email client, including Outlook 2007, Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, Lotus Notes and more. Totally neat. I’ll most definately be using this on the next email mailout I have to produce. (link)

pussycats

If I was a cat I would be jumping too… (from DannyChoo)

fantastic new teapot design

  

Sorapot is a wonderfully new design of an age old product; the teapot. They are anticipated to start shipping in February 2008. Very stylish, very sexy. (link)

the joy of not being sold anything

A great advertisement that I received in an email.

children are weird

 

We all know children are crazy. Admit it. You probably can’t remember what you were doing when you were three years old, so it is hard to deny that you weren’t a bit mental yourself.

Well after stumbling across these little drawings, the thought has been reaffirmed in my head. Yes, they may be full of cuteness and event make you laugh some times, but in the end children are freaks.

View the rest of the series uploaded by Frauenfelder by clicking here.

space icecream

I often wondered as a young child exactly what astronauts ate in space. The revelation came to me in an important discovery in a small shop in the city. Inside there was a lot of interesting inventions, puzzles and toys, but one caught my eye; Astronaught Ice Cream. Finally, I knew what they ate on those incredibly difficult trips into the vacuum. It tastes very much like a combination of old milk and sugar, but it was an exciting experience to behold.

I longed for another packet of this for a long time. The shop that we visited when I was younger has since closed down, due to the economic unpopularity of thought and learning. Recently I rediscovered that it is still being sold (thanks to ThinkGeek). So once again we can all rejoyce in the fact that we can build cubby houses from lounge cushions, climb into our pretend Space capsules, and while inside, enjoy a moment of imagination as the space ice cream melts in our mouth.

Now where is the coke bottle, I need a pee.

the united states of d’oh

I read a couple of blogs on US politics, and this ticked my funny bone a little. Why is it, that the world’s leaders all seem to have the same reaction to Dubbya? I guess they see the similarity between him and Ralph Wiggum, and just wonder ‘Why???’. Hopefully when they work it out, they can enlighten us all. (link)

the green team

Another bizarre short film by Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Adam Mckay.

Make love to Mother Earth. Make a small hole in the ground, fill it with a little bit of water for lubrication and go to town… Just a thought.

Click here for the video.

As usual, totally weird. After seeing this, I must remember to dig up the Bad Cop videos that Will Ferrell and his daughter Pearl did…

it’s a bad day

I’m glad that i’m not the only one that this happens to. (link)

nerd up

  

  

What happens when you take out Engineers, Software Developers, Software Testers and Telecommuncation people out for a bucks night? They get there nerd on! The above pictures are a rough recreation of the events at Alex’s bucks night on Saturday night, which involved large amounts of alcohol, bubble baths and naked women.

You mak be thinking that sounds a lot like a bogan christmas lunch, and you would be close, with the exception that a bogan party tends to have an excess of hair around, where the girls from the reputable extablishment we visited had absolutely none.  

Quote of the night goes to one lovely stripper, who reminded us of how important it is to set your goals in life:

I gave up Uni four months ago because i don’t want to do management anymore… I want to own property.

A paraphrase, as I was too busy starting at her breasts to remember exactly what she was saying. 

I have attempted to re-live the event through story with my friends, and I am left with two comments which came to mind during my summation:

There was less hair around than on a thirteen year old girl.

Yes, tasteless, but very effective in conveying the sentiment of the story. And finally:

Its as exciting as being given a carton of beer, and being told that you are not allowed to drink the contents.

I would guess that anyone who has been to an event like this would understand.

baby round-up

With the surge of baby activity happening around the place, i thought it was time to catch up on where everyone is at. Honestly, it’s enough to make you clucky (in theory).

  

bethany

Little miss beth is absolutely gorgeous. I got to play with her on the weekend, and she has a lovely smile. OK, i’m totally smitten, but being her uncle it is hard not to be. Aparently she is getting quite good at playing Halo, and is quite accustomed to spending time on the XBox.

I had to put the picture up here of grandpa and beth. It’s an amazing photo for me, especially when I think there is four generations difference between the two of them. In some ways it lovely, in others its somewhat upsetting.

  

antony

  

Ant is a little stunner, so I am pretty sure that he will have to beat the girls off with a stick. He looks like a little robber in the outfit shown in the pictures, but stripes are all the rage at the moment.

  

the bump

Lisa is most definately having a baby. Less than five months out, the bump seems to be getting bigger every day. I freaked when I saw the latest photo of her; I didn’t realise just how fast it is happening.

  

charlie

 

She may be hairy, and her hands are paws, but she’s our baby. Chewing seems to be a big problem. I woke up this morning to see a half eaten pot plant on the floor, complete with the dirt still in it… We are both hoping she grows out of this rather soon.

computer advice

(link)

pneumatic anatomica

 

Ever wondered what the anatomy inside of a balloon dog is? ….Sure you haven’t. Well while you won’t admit it, i’m sure you’d be interested if someone showed you. Click the image for a larger view. (link)

crime scene: mr happy

 

Mr Happy was found dead this morning. The murder occurred sometime between 3am and 7am Saturday morning. Although the autopsy hasn’t been completed, an assumption can be made that Mr Happy died from having his internal organs ripped out through a small hole on his lower back.

Mr Happy was last seen around 11pm Friday evening. Any information on possible involvement would be much appreciated. Initial investigations have found bite marks similar to that of other similar attacks, including one where a small stuffed beagle had half of it’s brains ripped out and eaten.

Mr Happy is best known for his role as a present from Claire several years ago, while more recently being recruited as a friend for Charlie (current a possible suspect).

happy birthday g

  

  

  

  

It’s the beautiful Georgia’s birthday today. Here are some photos that were taken at her family catch up. The scooter that Luci gave her was fantastic… I had a lot of fun rolling around on it.

business blogging blunder

(link)

pierced ears

 

Last weekend Claire gave in and finally had her ears pierced, at the same time as Georgia, who was getting hers done for her birthday. I’ve been a litttle slow putting the photos up, but finally here they are. There was a couple of scared faces, but overall it worked out well.

happy anniversary gorgeous

So, Claire has been putting up with me now for four years. I honestly don’t know how. I just hope she loved the attached card, with the stupidly self indulgent comment in it.

“I’m in a glass case of emotion…” — Ron Burgandy