Parting ways

Here's something I chanced upon during my Christmas break: the Japanese commercial for the Final Fantasy X/2 revamp.

For the curious, the text in the beginning of the commercial says, "We are fated to someday part with the person we hold most precious", and the narration at the end of the commercial says, "The world is full of partings and farewells. So I'd want to cherish someone who is next to me now."

 I have no idea how I should be reacting to this ad: At first, I was snickering at the cheesiness of this ad and then it occurred to me that in amongst all that cheesiness there was a sense of sincerity.
I know some ads can provoke an emotional response but.....no wait this isn't one of them at all! Too much cheese and making no effort whatsoever to hide it.

But what I got the most from this ad is a sense that I'm still not in any way convinced to buy this new version of FFX. For, if anything, my one and only playthrough involved some careful use and intricate planning with the sphere grid and I'M NOT GOING BACK!!!!!

The Perfect Drug

What is this coming creeping into my sights? Why, it's the latest ad from Sony for the upcoming PS4!:

Original video located here. Accessed 16th October 2013

Despite my contempt for Sony in recent years, I've always enjoyed the ads Sony pumps out. I don't know who the genius is Sony have got in their marketing department but they clearly aren't paying him enough.
As for the ad itself? Well it's entertaining and hilarious. But, being an avid watcher of the Gruen Transfer, I can't help but put a critical eye to this. Thus two things emerge: Firstly, it is kinda off-putting that we have a gaming ad game centered around a song about a heroin addiction.What are we handing the 'gaming as an addiction' activists ammunition?
And secondly, this is a very male dominated commercial. Female gamers do exist you know Sony!

All wrapped up

Because game commercials are always fun, may I present the commercial for the Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on the original Nintendo Gameboy:


Man Nintendo sure made some weird ads in their day but I find this oddly fascinating: Getting past the cheesy rap I realize there is little connecting this ad to the game itself: The Zelda logo is shown briefly, and the gameplay footage takes a back seat to the rapper. Indeed, what game footage there is  projected onto the wall of the set. EH?!?? Indeed, so much emphasis is placed on the rapper one finds it hard to see this being an ad for video game.

Still maybe next con i should get my Link cosplay out and perform this rap as a skit - has anyone ever done such a thing? No really, have they?

Mind you this ad does inspire the rather amusing notion of going Down ON Zelda XD

Gameboys will be Gameboys

Here's a blast from the Past: A commercial from the late eighties/early nineties for the original Nintendo Gameboy;



I remember seeing this as a kid and I still can recall even now - maybe it's largely due to the refrain of "Gameboy!" set to rockin' music.
Funny thing is I never got the words to the last verse - to me it sounded like gibberish - but when I see it now I realize: it IS gibberish. What, did the composer run out of words and he just put in: sakadawakadabakada bbbbb mmmm?!?! I know Nintendo came out with some weird ads in their heyday but in terms of weirdness, gibberish in a rockin' song really takes the cake.

But, with hindsight, my favorite part of the ad is the line: "With all the great games you can get for a Gameboy you better believe you can spend your whole life playing Gameboy!" Its kind of funny considering that consoles usually have a limited lifespan so thinking someone STILL playing the grey, yellow-screened Gameboy is beyond hilarious. A little presumptuous there, eh Nintendo?

The Devil Woman

I recently came across something I'd seen months earlier:



When I first saw this ad I had yet to play WoW. But through being an avid viewer of the marvelous TV show The Gruen Transfer, I'd developed a critical eye towards advertising. So I put it to use with this ad.
And I have to say, this ad may be designed to be funny but I don't find it funny. If anything, it presents a rather uncomfortable scenario: What we have here is a relationship where the guy is doing something decent but the girl is continually being the bad guy: She rejects what could've been a thoughtful gift but when she neglects her boyfriend and subsequently confronted about it, she gives him the flick. Riiiiiiiiiiiight. If an ad exists to entice newcomers to a product then this doesn't do it - it comes across more awkward than engaging.

In the time since I first saw this ad I have started playing WoW which opens a up a new perspective as a player. Firstly, one common criticism about WoW is that it ruins social lives - one would think Blizzard would try and make an effort to challenge this notion but what this ad seems to do is reinforce it.
And whilst WoW may not be a substitute for one's social life, it does however present an excellent social activity. As I've found it's great to run around and both interact do quests with other people. A strength yes but this ad doesn't touch that, instead suggesting that if you play WoW you're a lonely misanthropic.
But what is particularly interesting is that this ad suggests that WoW destroys relationships. Again I call BS: I've heard of couples who play WoW together as a couple activity. In the ad, for all we know, the boyfriend could've been trying to get his crabby girlfriend into something he'd thought she'll like. It also raises the question that if the relationship was in a problematic state, why didn't they both start playing WoW together?

Some might say I'm taking this too seriously and over-analyzing this ad but consider this: If this ad doesn't make me want to play WoW then something has gone drastically wrong.
Oh and the Ozzy Osbourne ad was heaps more fun.

True Heroes Live Forever

Here's something that came to my attention recently:



Although I'm still nursing the wounds of betrayal from Sony, I have to admit that this ad is pretty impressive. It's a clever idea to have various video game characters congregate in a bar, sharing stories of their adventures only to salute the man, the player, who went with them every step of the way.

Now I must admit I have gotten attached to characters I play in games - Even I've caught myself playing Legend of Zelda and saying, to Link, 'Come on little Buddy, we can do this!' because really, video gaming is, unlike movies or books, an interactive medium. It makes sense for the player to go on a journey with the dudes on the TV screen and guide their actions every step of the way against near insurmountable odds - only the emerge triumphant bloodied but unbeaten.

And this ad knows this which is why it works so well.