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What do you think of product placement in games? What's acceptable and what isn't? I'm going to be chatting a out it on a podcast I do. I was reading about this Yank stuff called 'Miracle Whip', which is like some weird mayonnaise-style product that Kraft makes. I found out that it's in Skate 3 ( I think) as a move, an achievement and even an in-game shirt. Now, I don't know if there is a legit trick called a Miracle Whip, but the idea of mayonnaise themed clothing in a skating game seemed like one of the saddest things I've seen on games. And it got me thinking about what's acceptable and what isn't in product placement. What adds to a game, if it can and what looks stupid. What do you reckon? Have you seen any good or bad examples? Do you care if it's in games or do you actually look forward to it? How might it affect games in the future? If anyone replies, there's a chance they'll be mentioned on the show and of course their quote will be attributed to them. |
Product placement in games AKA X-TREME MAYO
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1Dgaf 5,025 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 11 years ago -
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If it fits the world, I don't mind it.
For an example, Max Pain 3, set in the real world, right? If, during a cut scene, the camera is panning across a desk, and there happens to be a can of Coca-Cola, or a McDs meal sitting there. That's fine. It's not obtrusive, not in your face, there's nothing wrong with it. Or an audio clip from a nearby TV or something.
If the same happened in a fantasy game, Final Fantasy, for example, I don't want to see any real world products.
As for stuff like you mentioned, a move with the product name in an extreme sports game, or an achievement connected to it, again, context is important. I suppose is stuff like skating, snowboarding etc there are product sponserdmoves anyway? That doesn't break immersion much, I think, so that's not so bad, and an achievement for pulling the move off? That's ok.
But again, in a fantasy game or similar, an enemy with a product name, etc.. Nah...
It's contextual, really. -
1Dgaf 5,025 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 11 years agoInteresting points Folant, though sponsored movies do seem a bit wonky. I'm surprised you think it won't break immersion, but I suppose a Nike 360 8isnt going to be as bad as a Ginsters one. (But the latter would be cooler if you exploded into a shower of pasties when you fell over.)
DD,
Is that video real? The Airwaves bit is especially awful. -
neilka 21,199 posts
Seen 2 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoI think it's absolutely PRINGLES disgraceful. -
spamdangled 31,570 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 9 years agoIf it isn't too blatant and fits the context of the game (i.e, billboard adverts in an open-world game, clothing in a sports game, etc) then it doesn't bother me.
But if people in-game start referring to it directly, like a character in the middle of a cutscene suddenly announcing he wants a McDonald's, or a pair of Nike trainers making your character run faster, stuff like that - then I'd have a problem with it. -
1Dgaf 5,025 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 11 years agoI've just been told that Deus Ex on PS3 had adverts on the loading screen and that they were dynamic, changing on when the game was played.
I didn't have that on the 360 version - anyone else notice it?
Not all advertising is product placement, but all product placement is advertising. -
the_dudefather 10,725 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoThere was a Shaun white skateboarding game released a year or two ago
There is a sort of story in the game, of a Big Brother style evil government cleaning the streets of colour and life, leaving the population and setting grey and without individuality
But as you skate around you bring life back to the city, fighting against 'The Man' in your quest for sweet flips and personal freedom!
You also add product placement to the world while you do this, adding advertising for Wendy's and some brand of chewing gum (with branded achievements for each) -
Rusty_M 6,813 posts
Seen 10 hours ago
Registered 11 years agoI agree with others that it should fit the world and hopefully not be too blatant. The powerade machines in enter the matrix was about the limit.
Sam Fishers airwaves were a little too obvious. Why would chewing gum have been the focus of that shot?
Edit: haven't watched video as I'm at work.
Edited by Rusty_M at 14:22:41 22-06-2012 -
1Dgaf wrote:
The video is real. I remember the moaning that was done about it as I think it was one of the earliest examples of real life product placement.
I've just been told that Deus Ex on PS3 had adverts on the loading screen and that they were dynamic, changing on when the game was played.
I didn't have that on the 360 version - anyone else notice it?
Not all advertising is product placement, but all product placement is advertising.
The ads in Deus Ex were actually patched in, you get them on all formats.
Did you know Sega paid for the use of brand names in Crazy Taxi, which is why they are missing in the re-releases. How times have changed. -
There were ads in Deus Ex loading screens?
They must be pretty good, I don't remember seeing anyway.
...or would that make it bad? Lol -
Did I read somewhere that Burnout Paradise had ads for Obama's 08 Presidential Campaign on the billboards throughout the city? -
I'm sure I remember that myself.
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