commercials
Latest
Sony wipes out interfering ad from WipEout HD
Sony has removed a controversial in-game ad from WipEout HD, which slammed the hover brakes on the futuristic racer by increasing load times. A Sony representative informed GI.biz that the commercial was removed while the company attempts to make sure that ads do not affect gameplay. The obtrusive commercial was part of a new deal between Sony and Double Fusion, an in-game advertising firm. It's definitely not a good sign when the first ad out of the gate ends up being a picture-perfect example of consumers' worst fears about in-game advertising.
BrandIndex: Microsoft's ads effective
BrandIndex is reporting this week that Microsoft's "Laptop Hunter" and similar ads are changing consumer's perceived value of Windows machines. YouGov conducted a survey of 5,000 consumers to measure the "value score" of both Macs and Windows machines. The value score represents a customer's perception of "bang for the buck." We don't know exactly how that's measured by the survey.What they found was a steady increase in Microsoft's score since the price-conscious ads began. Simultaneously, Apple's score has fallen.You can argue the validity of the commercials' claims, but what's undeniable is that people shop on price. When John Q. Public decides to buy a computer, 9 times out of 10 his initial thought is, "What's this going to cost me?" Most shoppers aren't like you and me, concerned with statistics and performance. They want cheap. As someone who has bought hundreds of computers for two schools over 8 years, I know what I'm talking about.While the ads may infuriate Mac nerds like us, they might persuade everyone else.[Via Electronista]
Video: Apple responds to Microsoft's Laptop Hunters... with a Megan
According to Apple, there aren't any PCs with fast processors and big screens that work without viruses, crashes or headaches. But folks, this isn't reality, this is advertising. In fact, this is Apple's first jab since Microsoft took off the gloves with its Laptop Hunters series of pokes against Apple. So grab a Coke (or Pepsi) and check the ad after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Jump out of your seats for old game commercials
We've seen many of the classic video game console commercials in this GamePlayer feature before, but never all in series like this. The site has compiled one ad each, in roughly chronological order, for game consoles from the Atari 2600 to the PlayStation 3, revealing a lot of actors who are very excited about video games.That seems to be the common thread throughout most of these ads: since realistic enjoyment of video games doesn't play well on television, these commercials exaggerate the excitement of games to the point of personal injury. The Saturn commercial after the break, for example, makes some pretty terrifying suggestions about what playing Sega Saturn does for your body. At least it doesn't make your head detach from your body like the 3D0 does.
New Get a Mac ads after "Laptop Hunters"
Tonight Apple released four new Get a Mac ads that feature the same, and ever so lovable, PC and Mac characters. In the first new ad, "Time Traveler," PC travels into the future to see if PCs still crash. In the ad called "Stacks," PC is shuffling through thousands of photos to find the one he is looking for; Mac then tells him about the facial recognition in iPhoto '09.In "Legal Copy," PC starts telling how "easy to use" he is, but as he talks, his disclaimer copy appears at the bottom of the sceen. The final new ad, "Biohazard Suit," PC explains his biohazard suit as he tells Mac about all of the recent viruses going around for Windows. While these ads are funny, you can't help but wonder if this is Apple's response to the recent "Laptop Hunters" Microsoft ads, although with the production schedules involved it's likely that the new Apple ads were already in the can or at least well underway when Lauren and her pals hit the screen. You can watch all of these new ads by going to the Get a Mac page on the Apple site, and we'll be talking about them on the talkcast in just a few minutes.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
New iPhone ads appear, bring joy and good cheer
Last night while watching House, I saw what seemed to be a new iPhone commercial featuring some pretty interesting applications. Despite the fact that I was watching this particular episode on my DVR, I stopped fast-forwarding through the commercials so I could catch the latest Apple showcase of iPhone applications.For many people, if you've seen one commercial for a given product, then you've seen all the commercials you need to see. Not so with iPhone. As these commercials so ably show, the iPhone isn't just one product, it's thousands of products. Thanks to the App Store, the iPhone and iPod Touch have become a tour de force of gaming, productivity, networking, and so forth. The success has become so ubiquitous that I am even willing to watch a commercial to learn of new applications that could enhance my life.The good news is that after stopping by MacDailyNews I discovered that there are a total of three new iPhone commercials available for your viewing pleasure; all without having to interrupt any commercial-skipping. MDN has the hot scoop replete with YouTube vids to fill your stomach with all sorts of unicorn teary goodness. You can also check out the new advertisements, "Itchy," "Office," and "Student," in extremely huge resolution over at Apple.comVia MacDailyNews
Microsoft's second Laptop Hunters commercial: Giampaulo buys an HP HDX
The second installment of Microsoft's Laptop Hunters commercials went live today, and if you thought our actress friend Lauren lit a fire, well, get ready for Giampaulo, who professes to be "technically-savvy" and calls the unibody MacBook he looks at "so sexy," but ultimately rejects it because he wants to pay for "computing power," not the "brand." Armed with a $1,500 budget, he walks out of Fry's with an HP HDX 16 that features a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB drive -- raw numbers that would cost you $2,499 from Apple, although you'd be getting a vastly better display. Fair? We leave that up to you -- video after the break.P.S.- That's the two commercials and two HP machines purchased, anyone sensing a trend?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - CNETRead - The Fry's listing for the $1,099 HP HDX 16
Super Bowl XLIII to boast interactive commercials
For years now, companies have sought to produce the most engaging advertisement on the eve of the Super Bowl here in America. In just a few months, however, they'll be vying for something else -- your clicks. Canadian sportscaster Le Réseau des Sports has confirmed that both SD and HD broadcasts of Super Bowl XLIII will feature commercials that are "enabled with interactive functionality permitting viewers to opt-in and hyperlink directly from the RDS network to long-form video content." Additionally, viewers will be able to bookmark that content for future viewing. Details of how the links and on-demand material will work are still fuzzy, but it's apt to function a lot like the TV-to-Internet ad platform that's already out courtesy of Backchannelmedia. The bar just got raised a few rungs higher, and we're pretty stoked to see what happens next.
Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Van Sandt in two new TV commercials
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Ozzy_Osbourne_and_Steve_Van_Sandt_in_two_new_WoW_commercials'; Blizzard has put together two new TV spots for the holiday season. The first, seen above, features Steven van Zandt (better known as Silvio Dante on The Sopranos, but also a real-life performer in Bruce Springsteen's band) spouting an old Godfather III reference (that a lot of returning fans are probably saying to themselves after re-entering Warcraft for level 80).And the second (definitely the more hilarious one) features Ozzy Osbourne as an Undead Warlock having it out with the Lich King over just who's WoW's Prince of Darkness. It's embedded after the break, definitely a must-see. Blizzard's doing terrific already -- their games are setting records, and subscriptions are higher than ever. But it doesn't look like they're taking this holiday season lying down at all.
Survey finds DVR usage eating into DVD viewing, not TV
Content owners have long since looked down upon the almighty DVR, but a recent survey suggests that they actually have little to worry over. In fact, over 90% of individuals surveyed by Knowledge Networks admitted that they "typically watch TV during the prime-time hours of 8:00PM to midnight," which is a rate similar to that of four years ago. According to the company's David Tice, "increased DVR usage seems to come at the expense of watching purchased video," hinting that the decrease in home video sales could be linked to the ability to watch one's favorite shows at any time of the day. 'Course, this evidence here does clash somewhat with other numbers, but we aren't shocked at all to hear that people would rather watch something instantly on their DVR instead of going to the video store.
_cb128371923.jpg.cf.jpg)
New Get a Mac Ads: Bean Counter and V Word
With all of the political mudslinging going around this time of year, Apple has decided to add a different type of mudslinging to the barrage of TV commercials. Tonight, they released two new "Get a Mac" ads: Bean Counter, and V Word. In Bean Counter [direct video link], PC is sitting at a desk, counting money out into two stacks. The largest stack is for advertising and the smaller stack is for bug fixes for Vista. When Mac questions him, he says that he's having to take drastic action because of the frustration of Vista users. In the end, PC gives up budgeting and puts all of his money into advertising. This commercial is no doubt in response to Microsoft's recent advertising strategies. In V Word [direct video link], PC makes every attempt to "beep out" the word "Vista" in the ad.Sure, these commercials are well thought out and somewhat funny; but is Apple's mudslinging getting a little old? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, and don't forget to take part in our poll. You can watch the new commercials by visiting the Apple website.Thanks for the tip, Tony! %Poll-21156%
New get a Mac ad: Off the Air
Tonight, Apple released a new "Get a Mac" ad. "Off the Air" shows PC, Mac, and a Mac Genius. Mac tries to win people over on the fact that the Geniuses will transfer your files from your old PC to your new Mac. A mad PC then announces that his "frustrated" customers don't need to hear about that and that "fear of switching is the foundation of customer loyalty for PCs." PC proceeds to shut off the commercial by pulling a curtain down.This commercial isn't as funny, in my opinion, as the last set that came out earlier this week. You can watch all of the Get a Mac ads by visiting the Get a Mac website.
DS Daily: Favorite gaming ad?
The Mega64 ad from yesterday got cogs in our mind turning. There have been a lot of good ones over the years, some of which have been featured here on DS Fanboy through Promotional Consideration. Like, this one. And this one. And this one we made ourselves. And ... well, you get the idea. So what have been some of your favorite gaming advertisements? A random billboard? Some commercial you saw on TV? An ad you flipped past in a magazine? Out with it!
Interactive ad campaign seeks to "reinvent commercial time as content time"
Here at Engadget HD, we've been watching TV for a long, long time, and we can't honestly say that we've ever viewed commercial time as content time. Nevertheless, MTV Networks is teaming up with Cadbury and DISH Network in order to launch its "first-ever advertiser-supported interactive television campaign." Available "exclusively" to DISH Network customers (a curse disguised as a blessing?), the campaign will debut during The N's reality series Queen Bees on July 11th at 9:00PM ET / PT. Put simply, it will present viewers with sets of questions to answer during the show (no, that's not distracting at all), and in the next commercial break, the poll results will be shown. According to the outfits involved, this is their attempt to "reinvent commercial time as content time" and "encourage viewer retention throughout the pod." We're curious -- does anyone at MTV / Cadbury / DISH actually believe this stuff, or does it just sound great on a conference call?
Loud commercials actually not that loud, just startling
Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. Is this report really saying that those obnoxiously loud used car commercials aren't any louder than the programs they accompany? In fact, yes. Tom Feran has taken the time to actually explain how loudness works in television here in the US, and the resulting report is pretty fascinating. In essence, a typical drama will have moments of loudness and moments of quiet, and commercials that follow the show have to respect the same maximum as the show. However, unlike the program, commercials can simply max out the volume from start to finish, causing a "perceived" or "inconsistent" loudness that's just barely lawful. As you well know, British regulators are stepping in to make sure no ad is "excessively noisy or strident," but the situation in America could get worse post-2009. You see, digital broadcasts have a wider dynamic range (or loudness spectrum), leaving more room for annoying salespeople to totally invade your eardrum. Nevertheless, the article linked below is a must-read for anyone who has ever been enraged by a "ridiculously loud commercial."[Image courtesy of Derrick Logan]
NBC Universal hopes to push HD-focused ads during Olympics
Not like you couldn't piece this one together yourself, but NBC Universal isn't going to let this opportunity pass it by. Just like the run-up to the SuperBowl, it's planning on using the Olympics as a campaign platform for HD. Reportedly, affiliates will be "provided with on-air, direct mail and bill stuffers to promote HDTV content sales, as well as material designed to retain current HDTV subscribers." In other words, expect to see an onslaught of ads coaxing folks into making the jump to high-def if they haven't already. Gotta love those marketing gurus, eh?
Nintendo wants you to play for you (and celebrities)
Nintendo has launched a slick new website based on their new DS ad campaign, which features celebrities America Ferrera, Carrie Underwood and Liv Tyler looking very much like people having fun with DS Lites. The site is called "I Play For Me" and includes new commercials (we thought Liv Tyler was way too excited about writing her own name in Brain Age, but then we saw her excellently looped "L"), as well as video interviews with the three stars about their DS-playing habits. Basically, the pick-up-and-play nature of the handheld fits well with busy people. Oh, and girls can play games too. The real irony of this ad campaign is that if you played for you, you'd have a DS by now. This is for people who would ostensibly play to be like these famous people. Of course, to truly be like these three, you'd have to take money from Nintendo in order to play DS, instead of giving Nintendo money.
Nintendo to start petal-ing 'Metallic Rose' DS Lite
Don't worry if you don't find the headline funny right away. Some puns take time to take root and mature, like a fine vine.Okay, but seriously, the news: Nintendo has announced that the "Metallic Rose" DS Lite, a pinkish sort of model that many may feel compelled to bury in the garden, will become available at retailers "later this month." The model was previously attainable only as part of a Nintendogs bundle.As of May 19th, you'll be able to see the Rose shown off in commercials which star "celebrity spokespeople" like Carrie Underwood and America Ferrera. Another commercial will feature Liv Tyler, the odd one out with a Crimson/Black DS and a name that doesn't sound completely made up.[Via DS Fanboy]
British regulators move to quiet obnoxiously loud commercials
Offensively loud television commercials have been a worldwide annoyance for years, and while a number of technologies have emerged in an attempt to hush those loud-mouths, British regulators are taking matters into their own hands. Just last week, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, which sets British TV ad guidelines, reportedly adopted a new rule establishing that TV ads shouldn't be "excessively noisy or strident." It elaborated by stating that "broadcasters must endeavor to minimize the annoyance that perceived imbalances could cause, with the aim that the audience need not adjust the volume of their television sets during program breaks." We're told that stations who choose not to invest in the loudness-level meter (which will ensure compliance) may actually have to "turn down the sound during commercials." Of course, whether anyone chooses to actually follow these guidelines has yet to be seen, er, heard.[Via WatchingTVOnline, image courtesy of PaxArcana]
New Get a Mac ads: Pep Rally / Group
Apple just released two new "Get a Mac" ads -- Pep Rally and Group. In Pep Rally, PC tries to pep himself up despite the fact that the Mac is the "number one notebook on college campuses." Just when PC finishes his rant, the cheerleader squad starts cheering for Mac. In Group, PC is in a support group with fellow PCs. "You've just taken the biggest step, and that's accepting that our operating system just isn't working like it should," are some words uttered by the PCs. The comedy comes at the end of this one as a PC stands up and says "I am pleased to say that I've been error free for over a week" in a constant loop. You can view these new ads on Apple's Get a Mac website. Apple has also redesigned their Get a Mac site for viewing these Mac commercials, you can now view them by year going all the way back to 2006.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
