PR too good to be true

Sorry to hear of more scams, but I am glad you didn't get caught.... at least all you are out is time. Sadly, though, more and more TV coverage is costing money. I specifically asked Pete Adkinson how he got the M:tG Pro Tours on ESPN 2 and he replied that WOTC paid for it. So, in the majority of cases, if it is ESPN 2, it has been paid to those people at Disney that own the channel.

Likewise, because the average commercial has no effect on people, guerilla marketing is appearing everywhere. The Aqua Teen Hunger Force thing in Boston was just the tip of the iceberg of how determined advertisers try to reach an audience... they pay average people to talk about products in public where people gather in huge numbers to act like they are just enthralled with the new product. While they are probably slightly more attractive people or actors, they walk amongst you as regular folk talking proudly or excitedly about something to another paid person.

Then there is media. The "news" that is positive coverage of some business is most likely paid for by that company. The "reviews" in Games Quarterly were obvious paid ads written by the game companies - I complained about this to the editor and she thought I was complaining about the poor writing - no wonder they went under. Product placement in movies is now in music as well.... for the right price you can get your product namedropped in the next blockbuster movie, popular album, or certain novels.

Anyways... just glad you aren't out the dough... didn't mean to rant or highjack... maybe somebody will get an ad agency game outta the junk or an idea about how to market their next game.