Kotaku suggests you buy a shirt

From their sponsor. I assumed this shameless plug would be met with boos and hisses from commentors, but instead readers were content with discussing the merits of the t-shirt. At least they realized it was stupid and unfunny.

Blogs are a powerful tool for marketers because unlike “objective” journalists, bloggers want readers to want to be their friends. Just between the two of us, let me tell you a secret – Huggies makes the best diapers. This reminds me of the days of Cousin Brucie on the oldies station. As a child, I was always confused when he would take a break from announcing the next song in order to tell us about a sale at Rockaway Bedding, or explain that Dr. Zizmore was THE dermatologist in NYC. Just as I trusted the Cous, Kotaku readers trust Mark Wilson. →  Read the rest

The Videolamer Guide to In-Game Advertising

Video games are an exciting new medium, primarily because of the potential for huge profits. These profits won’t just fall into our laps, though. Video games are unlike other media, and as such we cannot rely on the same tired marketing tactics. An annoying tagline like “can you hear me now?” may work on TV, but that’s because TV viewers are morons. The gamer is slightly more clever and we must treat him as such. Because most marketing is aimed at stupid people, most ad agencies will not have the know how to target a gaming audience. This guide, specifically tailored to the advertising needs of the video game advert, will lead you step by step to your ultimate goal: Take money from the ignorant.

1. Target your demographic

An ad, no matter how clever and well thought out, will not make an impact if it is seen by the wrong audience. →  Read the rest